Memphis Judge A. Melissa Boyd was indicted for witness intimidation right after she allegedly attempted to get her marketing campaign manager to recant statements about her substance abuse. (Left: Shelby County Jail Correct: Tennessee Courts)
The embattled Memphis judge below indictment who’s operate into nothing at all but issues in her brief time on the bench resigned after her bond was revoked for having cocaine in her process.
Decide Andrewnetta Melissa Boyd, 59, went to jail previous week after the unsuccessful drug exams. This appeared to be the past straw for Boyd, who was facing elimination by the Tennessee Normal Assembly. In January, the Tennessee Board of Judicial Carry out sent Lt. Gov. Randy McNally and Assembly Speaker Cameron Sexton a letter recommending that the Assembly kick Boyd out of business. The letter also in-depth how her previous campaign supervisor in December 2022 identified a plate with a line of suspected cocaine on it in her closet.
Her legal professionals despatched the Administrative Office of the Courts a letter publishing her resignation late past month. She in the beginning was heading to resign at the end of May perhaps, but in a letter despatched Tuesday, she moved up her date.
Linked Protection:
“Accordingly, make sure you address this letter as Judge Boyd’s sign that she is resigning from her position as a Criminal Courtroom Judge for the 30th Judicial District at Memphis powerful promptly,” Tuesday’s letter said.
At the courtroom listening to past 7 days revoking her bond, Boyd’s legal professional claimed his consumer was in “total relapse.”
“I think that’s really apparent to the court,” legal professional Art Horne said, according to CBS affiliate WREG. “Putting Ms. Boyd in jail and permitting her detox and whatsoever doesn’t resolve the long-expression trouble.”
But Boyd’s steps confirmed she was just “thumbing her nose” at the court’s orders, prosecutors stated.
“She is mainly thumbing her nose at the court docket indicating I am not heading to do one particular factor that you purchased me to do. I am not heading to phone into pretrial supervision. I am not going to go by the place of work, I am not likely to post to drug screens — I am not heading to prevent applying cocaine,” reported Nina Seiler, Assistant District Legal professional of the 28th Judicial District, according to WREG.
The decide agreed with prosecutors, stating Boyd has refused support to address her drug dilemma. He despatched her to jail until her felony trial, which is slated to commence later this thirty day period.
As Law&Criminal offense beforehand claimed, a grand jury indicted Boyd in December on charges of coercion of a witness and harassment, information exhibit. According to the complaint received by the Memphis Business Charm, Boyd is accused of pressuring her campaign supervisor to recant the statements she manufactured to a judicial oversight system about Boyd’s use of cannabis and cocaine because taking business office past yr. Boyd also would exhibit up at the marketing campaign manager’s home and berate her, the Business Appeal reported.
Boyd reportedly explained to the campaign manager to “shut up” and to “not mess with her” because she’s a judge.
The judge, elected in August 2022 as Division IX decide of the 30th Judicial District Felony Court in Memphis, took a depart of absence in May to deal with an sickness. But in fact, documents reviewed by Regulation&Criminal offense say, she was suspended by the Tennessee Board of Judicial Perform that oversees judges. The board suspended her on May well 22 for no a lot more than six months owing to allegations of drug use and inappropriate actions, the paperwork explained. The suspension was prolonged in December.
A lot more on Legislation&Crime:‘I have also faltered’: Decide resigns just after sending wild textual content messages about genitals, tedious testimony and ‘pretty’ cops through murder trial
On Nov. 30, 2022, the board been given a complaint alleging she was “threatening and overwhelming an acquaintance and that she was abusing alcohol.” Boyd was expected to react in creating but skipped the deadline by extra than a month, the doc reported. The investigation was expanded in March following Boyd “was discovered sitting down exterior the acquaintance’s home” all-around 2:30 a.m.
“Through the incident Decide Boyd texted shots of this individual’s house and despatched text messages which accused this person of owning an individual in the property,” investigators wrote.
Boyd wrote to the board on April 10, admitting to sending the text messages and acknowledging that it was inappropriate. She also admitted she experienced failed to react to the board in a timely fashion, blaming it on the fatalities of various family members customers.
Then, the board reported it was increasing the investigation for a 3rd time just after Boyd allegedly admitted to owning a material abuse dilemma. Boyd acknowledged to the board on May perhaps 5 that she did indeed have an issue.
Boyd’s actions was not acceptable, the board wrote.
“When any judge, but especially a decide who adjudicates substance abuse or chemical dependency similar issues these types of as Choose Boyd, has alcoholic beverages and/or compound abuse problems, regard for the judiciary and the administration of justice suffers,” the board wrote. “Evidently, the general public is far more possible to regard and have self-confidence in the integrity and high-quality of justice administered by a choose if the judge has complied with the exact same requirements of perform he or she is responsible for applying to other people. A judge who has drug or alcohol dependency difficulties does not encourage these kinds of self esteem.”
The board requested Boyd to submit to a material abuse evaluation and go to rehab if vital. The Tennessee Attorneys Aid Software, which assists those in the legislation profession, experienced to decide no matter whether she was suit to return to the bench.
But the Board of Judicial Conduct on Oct. 31 issued a general public reprimand of Boyd, expressing she failed to total the material abuse evaluation. It was her 2nd reprimand of the calendar year: In May, the board reprimanded her for asking for donations by way of social media for a college although sporting her judge robe, which is a violation of judicial coverage.
Be a part of the discussion
The article Indicted, suspended decide resigns just after bond revoked for getting cocaine in method: Reviews initially appeared on Legislation & Crime.
More Stories
‘No bearing on this prosecution’: Manhattan DA fires back as Trump demands judge toss hush-money conviction in wake of Supreme Court presidential immunity decision
DA to Seek Death Penalty for Couple Accused of Torture Murder of 12-Year-Old Girl Who Weighed 50 Pounds When She Died
Suspect Said Diddy Paid $1 Million to Have Tupac Murdered, Prosecutors Claim in Court Docs