Judge accused of enabling immigrant to escape ICE gets a rare public reprimand
The court said her suggestion to hold the defendant overnight and her order to stop audio recording created an appearance of impropriety.
- On Thursday, the Supreme Judicial Court issued a public reprimand against Newton District Court Judge Shelley Joseph for her conduct during a 2018 hearing, concluding her actions created an "appearance of impropriety" involving a defendant sought by ICE.
- During a 2018 hearing, Joseph was accused of colluding with the attorney for defendant Jose Medina-Perez to help him evade ICE agents, though the commission found she lacked knowledge of an "escape plan."
- The SJC also reprimanded Joseph for violating rule 211 and rule 1.1 by instructing the clerk to turn off courtroom audio recordings during the arraignment, capping a seven-year legal saga that saw federal charges dropped in 2022.
- Attorney Elizabeth Mulvey stated the eight-year period was "incredibly long and difficult" and praised the hearing officer for showing the federal prosecution was "baseless," while Joseph remains a judge in administrative duty.
- The case mirrors that of former Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan, who resigned in Milwaukee County after facing impeachment threats, highlighting the ongoing clash between local authorities and federal immigration officials over immigration enforcement.
49 Articles
49 Articles
Judge receives public reprimand for allegedly allowing illegal immigrant to escape ICE custody
In 2018, Judge Shelly Joseph was accused of colluding with the illegal immigrant's attorney and a court officer to allow him to escape out a back door of the courthouse following a hearing on charges including drug possession.
Top Court Reprimands Judge for Aiding Immigrant’s Escape from ICE.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has formally reprimanded Judge Shelley Joseph over her involvement in a case where an illegal immigrant evaded ICE custody, citing her actions as creating an appearance of impropriety.
MA Judge Gets Reprimand for Helping Immigrant Evade ICE
Massachusetts's highest court issued only a public reprimand against a district court judge who ordered a courtroom recorder turned off while an immigrant slipped out a courthouse back door to evade federal immigration agents, a penalty critics say barely qualifies as accountability. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts on Thursday formally reprimanded Judge Shelley Joseph […]
Massachusetts’ highest court publicly reprimands judge accused of enabling immigrant to escape ICE
The highest court in Massachusetts has publicly rebuked a district court judge over her role in a case involving an illegal immigrant who evaded arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.For Judge Shelley Joseph, the decision brings to a close a legal saga that began on April 2, 2018, when Jose Medina-Perez left the Newton District Court through a rear courthouse exit all while an ICE officer was waiting in the lobby to take him into custody…
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