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Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker requests the temporary removal of a state judge who would have helped an undocumented immigrant escape from the immigration authorities who were waiting to be arrested in a courthouse.
Newton District Judge Shelley Joseph investigates a case. a federal grand jury for helping other members of the judiciary to have Jose Medina-Perez, 38, from the Dominican Republic, slip through the back door of the courthouse while Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained a detainee for his arrest. The incident occurred in early April.
"I do not think she should hear criminal cases until the federal case is resolved," Baker told State House reporters quoted by the Boston Globe. "Look, judges are not supposed to obstruct justice."
Medina-Perez, whose real name is Oscar Manuel Peguero, was facing a local drug charge. He also reportedly had a warrant for drunken driving in Pennsylvania, according to reports.
Quote of an audio recording in the courtroom of a magistracy conference between the judge, the public prosecutor and the accused's attorney, on Globe reported Sunday. that the three men discussed the fact that ICE was looking for Medina-Perez
A key part of the conference was not recorded, as the judge ordered a clerk to turn off the audio recorder from the audience room. When the recording resumed, reported on Globe the prosecutor asked the judge to withdraw the fugitive warrant, because the picture taken in Pennsylvania did not match Medina-Perez. The local drug charge did not require that the defendant be detained.
Shortly afterwards, Medina-Perez was escorted out of the hearing room by her lawyer and was released by a back door of the court, thus avoiding ICE. [19659002] But he was not free very long. Medina-Perez, also known as Julio Alexis Rios, was arrested by police later in April. He now faces deportation, according to officials cited by Globe . He had already been deported twice: in 2003 and in 2007.
The Globe added:
"The federal inquiry into a judge sitting in the State Court is extraordinary and highlights the highly politicized back and forth between state authorities and federal officials responsible for suppressing undocumented migrants. "
At the beginning of the year, Thomas Homan, acting director of the United States. ICE, had issued a directive allowing officers to visit federal, regional and local courthouses to arrest unauthorized immigrants, despite objections from immigrant rights advocates and some judges, including US judge Indira Talwani to Boston and California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye.
Judge Joseph may have broken two judicial policies. One is the obligation for court staff not to assist or hinder federal immigration officers. Another is the obligation to record all the judicial conversations.
The judge is a former attorney and defense attorney appointed by Governor Baker in October 2017.
NPR contacted the judge and the prosecutor to comment on it. at the time of publication, no response has yet been received.
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