A Massachusetts investigation concluded that Boston Judge Shelley Richmond Joseph did not knowingly assist an illegal immigrant in avoiding ICE arrest, despite widespread public belief to the contrary. The review found that Joseph allowed the defendant, Medina-Perez, to return to the courthouse lock-up only because she believed he needed to speak privately with his lawyer. Although an interpreter and another attorney suggested she knew of an escape plan, the hearing officer rejected their claims as unreliable. He instead accepted Joseph’s account, affirming she had no knowledge of the scheme. However, he recommended a public reprimand for her decision to hold an off-the-record sidebar, which created the appearance of impropriety.
Federal prosecutors had argued that Joseph’s actions—such as telling a clerk to inform ICE to wait in the lobby and briefly stopping the courtroom recording—suggested she facilitated the escape. After the recording resumed, Joseph released Medina-Perez, who was then escorted by a court officer through a rear exit and out of the building. Medina-Perez, barred from reentering the U.S. until 2027, had appeared on drug and fugitive charges. His lawyer later received immunity in exchange for testimony.
In 2022, the Justice Department dropped its charges once Joseph self-reported to the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct. Nevertheless, the CJC accused her of willful misconduct and behavior damaging to the administration of justice, noting that public perception remains sharply divided over whether she acted improperly or became a symbolic figure in a politically charged case.