BOSTON — Massachusetts District Court Judge Shelley Joseph, for the first time, takes the stand and publicly speaks about the case that put her at the very center of the heated national debate on immigration.
Judge Joseph is accused of helping an undocumented suspect escape from a waiting ICE agent at Newton District Court in 2018 by allowing the suspect to walk out of the courthouse through a back door.
The suspect, Jose Medina-Perez, was in Newton District Court on drug charges and a fugitive from justice warrant.
But there were questions over his true identity
Under questioning, Judge Joseph told the State Commission on Judicial Conduct that she did nothing wrong.
"Did you have any role in how ICE would actually get him or where they would actually get him?" Joseph was questioned, to which she replied with, "No, I no, no."
During that 2018 hearing, Judge Joseph is accused of conspiring with a defense attorney to release the undocumented suspect during a bench conference.
52 seconds of that bench conference were off the record and not recorded.
When asked if she wished that she had a record of those 52 seconds, she answered: “I do, no question.”
Judge Joseph repeatedly said during this hearing, she thought the matter would be continued the next day.
She said she allowed Medina-Perez to be released through a downstairs lockup, rather than out the front door, so he could meet his attorney, and if necessary, that’s where ICE would detain him.
She said there was nothing sinister about it.
“I was thinking, just pause where we are. We haven’t arraigned him yet, let’s just all come back tomorrow and do this tomorrow.“ Joseph said. ”That’s all I was trying to do.”
Judge Joseph’s lawyers are expected to call witnesses on Friday, with closing arguments to begin on Monday.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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