US Judge Investigated After ‘Letting Drugs Suspect Escape Through the Back Door’ to Avoid ICE Agents in Courthouse
5th December 2018
A judge reportedly allowed an immigrant in court on drugs charges to leave through the back door to avoid immigration enforcement who had arrived to arrest him.
Shelley Joseph, a judge in the suburbs of Boston, is reportedly being investigated by a federal grand jury over the claims she helped the man – Jose Medina-Perez – escape arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The incident is said to have happened in April when Mr Medina-Perez was appearing before Judge Joseph’s court after being arrested on drug charges. Mr Perez-Medina was ordered to reappear before the court on the drugs charges in May and then allowed to leave.
The Boston Globe said the Dominican had already been deported from the United States twice before.
In the audio recording of the courtroom, Judge Joseph can be heard saying ICE “is going to get him” and “I’m not going to allow them to come in here” before telling a clerk to turn off the recording.