https://www.boston25news.com/news/newton-judge-charged-with-allegedly-helping-undocumented-man-escape-ice/943390359Quote
NEWTON, Mass. - A local judge and a trial court officer were indicted Thursday for their roles in allegedly aiding an undocumented immigrant escape ICE agents in court.
Newton District Judge Shelley Joseph, 51, of Natick, and former Trial Court Officer Wesley MacGregor, 56, of Watertown, were indicted on one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice and two counts of obstruction of justice - aiding and abetting. MacGregor was also charged with one count of perjury.
Joseph has since been suspended without pay from her judicial duties.
"This case is about the rule of law," said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. "The allegations in today’s indictment involve obstruction by a sitting judge, that is intentional interference with the enforcement of federal law, and that is a crime. We cannot pick and choose the federal laws we follow, or use our personal views to justify violating the law. Everyone in the justice system – not just judges, but law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and defense counsel – should be held to a higher standard. The people of Massachusetts expect that, just like they expect judges to be fair, impartial and to follow the law themselves."
In December, Governor Charlie Baker called for the removal of Joseph after she was accused of helping an undocumented immigrant sneak out her courtroom while an ICE agent was waiting inside the courthouse to detain him and begin the deportation process.
Jose Medina-Perez, a Dominican Republic native, was facing drug charges as well as a fugitive warrant for drunk driving.
In an audio recording obtained by the Boston Globe, Medina-Perez's defense attorney can be heard at the bench with the prosecutor and Joseph discussing their doubt as to whether Medina-Perez had been correctly identified by ICE.
At one point during the recording, Joseph can be heard asking to "go off the record for a moment."
For nearly a minute, the recorder was turned off. When it was turned back on, Joseph released Medina-Perez but did not allow the ICE agent to go inside the courtroom.
Immediately after the proceeding, MacGregor allegedly escorted Medina-Perez, his attorney and an interpreter out of the building through a back exit door.
According to the Globe, the incident in question happened about a year ago.
MacGregor was charged with perjury after he testified before a grand jury saying he didn't know ICE agents were waiting in the courthouse and that there was a detainer for the defendant.
A spokesperson for the court tells Boston 25 Joseph was most recently assigned to various courts in Region 3, Cambridge, Chelsea, Gloucester and others.
Real talk: There are no safeguards in our system of laws for the fact that our judges can take it upon themselves to simply negate our laws they disagree with politically, like low level enforcement of deportation. Many judges had been turning deportation proceedings into indefinitely limbo where they simply refuse to schedule the hearing, allowing illegal aliens to remain in the country indefinitely. Before he was ousted, Jeff Sessions was starting to crack down on this. But there's just little or no means of enforcement to police the activities of judges who take the 'activist in robes' thing seriously.
This one went above and beyond any of the normal means and flat out conspired with the defense to thwart ICE, blatantly breaking the law. If that's what it takes to get arrested, okay, but a real solution wouldn't involve locking up judges, it would involve curtailing their powers.
This is what happens when our border enforcement has been bogged down by binding court rulings that usurp the power of the executive to maintain our security, and then give it to judges who arbitrarily exercise their powers to advance their political whims.
Guests cannot view or vote in polls. Please register or login.