On Monday, June 9, 2025, Fox News reported that a Boston judge, Shelley M. Richmond Joseph, is facing a misconduct hearing related to her alleged involvement in helping an illegal immigrant evade arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2018. The hearing is being held at the Suffolk Superior Court in Boston.
The charges stem from an incident involving Jose Medina-Perez, a Dominican national who had previously been deported twice. Medina-Perez appeared in Newton District Court on drug possession charges and was also wanted on a fugitive warrant from Pennsylvania. An ICE agent was on-site, prepared to take him into custody, when Judge Joseph is accused of facilitating his escape.
During the hearing, Joseph’s attorney emphasized that the judge has not been convicted of any crime. The defense argued that despite public perception, which has turned the incident into local lore, Joseph’s actions should not be judged prematurely. Her counsel stated, “If you were to walk down the street and take a survey of the people you meet, 100% of them would tell you Judge Joseph let an illegal immigrant out the back door of the district court.”
The presiding judge, Denis McInerney, indicated that he would issue a report following the conclusion of the hearing, outlining his findings and recommendations.
Medina-Perez’s attorney, David Jellinek, also testified at the hearing. He had reached an immunity agreement with federal authorities in exchange for his testimony against Judge Joseph. In 2019, the Justice Department had indicted both Joseph and former trial court officer Wesley MacGregor on charges of obstruction of justice; both have pleaded not guilty.
Federal prosecutors allege that Judge Joseph directed a court clerk to instruct the ICE agent to wait in the lobby, suggesting that Medina-Perez would exit through the courtroom door. However, she later instructed the clerk to “go off the record” for 52 seconds, during which time the courtroom audio recorder was silenced. Once the recording resumed, Joseph announced her decision to release Medina-Perez.
Prosecutors further alleged that when Medina-Perez’s defense attorney requested to speak with him downstairs, Joseph agreed, despite being reminded that an ICE officer was present in the courthouse. Joseph reportedly stated, “That’s fine. I’m not gonna allow them to come in here. But he’s been released on this.”
Following the judge’s instructions, MacGregor is accused of escorting Medina-Perez, his attorney, and an interpreter to the lockup area, where he allegedly used his security access card to unlock the rear sally-port exit, facilitating the defendant’s release.
In September 2022, the Justice Department agreed to drop the charges against Judge Joseph after she referred herself to the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct (CJC) and acknowledged certain facts related to the incident.
Source: Fox News
