Key Developments
- Judicial hearing officer recommends only public reprimand for Judge Shelley Joseph after finding she was unaware of plan to help migrant escape ICE detention at her courthouse
- 117-page report released Thursday by Massachusetts Judicial Conduct Commission rejects the commission’s request for suspension and removal proceedings
- Disciplinary panel credited Joseph’s testimony over defense attorney’s account, concluding the judge “did not know about — much less authorize — the escape plan”
BOSTON, Nov 9 (USA HERALD) — A Massachusetts judge who faced criminal charges during the first Trump administration for allegedly helping a migrant avoid immigration arrest should receive only a public reprimand, a judicial disciplinary hearing officer concluded Thursday, because she was unaware of the plan to help the migrant escape.
The recommendation was contained in a 117-page report released by the Massachusetts Judicial Conduct Commission, which had launched the misconduct case against Judge Shelley Joseph last year over the same allegations at the heart of a since-dropped federal criminal case.
The public reprimand recommendation fell far short of the commission’s request that Joseph also be suspended and referred to the state legislature and governor for removal.
“While I fully share the view that public trust in the judiciary is an important consideration, I disagree that Judge Joseph is unable to command the public’s respect and authority in the future,” hearing officer Denis McInerney wrote in the report.
