District Court Judge Shelley M. Richmond Joseph, center, departs federal court, Thursday, April 25, 2019, in Boston after facing obstruction of justice charges for allegedly helping a man in the country illegally evade immigration officials as he left her Newton, Mass., courthouse after a hearing in 2018. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
The federal government said it reached an agreement to drop charges against a Massachusetts state judge, who allegedly helped block an undocumented immigrant’s arrest, in exchange for her referring herself to a panel that investigates judicial misconduct.
In a filing Thursday, the Office of U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts moved to dismiss charges against Newton District Court Judge Shelley Joseph, who was accused of helping a defendant evade federal immigration authorities in 2018. The government said Joseph agreed to refer herself to the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct to face misconduct allegations and potential discipline.
