Remember Massachusetts Judge Shelly Joseph? She secretly escorted a twice-deported criminal alien through her court chambers to help him escape an ICE officer waiting to take custody. The Federal prosecutor offered her a deal. She said, no deal.
US Attorney Andrew Lelling had offered Joseph a “deferred prosecution agreement” under which she would not have been indicted and, in a year, as long as she didn’t repeat the conduct, prosecutors would abandon the obstruction of justice charges, according to the people familiar with the deal.
But Joseph refused to admit she violated federal law and now faces the possibility of up to 20 years in prison if convicted of obstruction of justice.
The left wants to give her a parade. And as Jazz notes at HotAir, she could have anything she wanted if she were free to pursue it.
Shelley Joseph has become an overnight darling of the liberal left for helping a criminal illegal alien escape the clutches of ICE. She would almost certainly be offered some sort of university teaching position, book deals or a spot in a liberal think tank. Heck, for that matter, she could just learn to code. Most of those options would offer her a platform to pontificate and possibly even run for office.
This acclaim comes from liberating a convicted felon. I’m not talking about breaking into the country illegally (twice). Jose Medina-Perez, whose real name is Oscar Manuel Peguero, was in court on a drug charge and is wanted on a separate drunk driving charge in PA. He is also a federal fugitive from justice. Immigration Enforcement was there to escort him away. The judge knew ICE was there and why.
Instead, she gave a man who was at the very least a common criminal under any other circumstance rights neither legal immigrants nor actual citizens enjoy. Neither you or I would get escorted out the back door by a Court officer and the Judge to escape not just the charges before them but officers of any other law enforcement or agency waiting to take us away.
So, what happened to Democrats who begrudgingly claimed to support detaining and deporting “undocumented entrants” who committed actual crimes once in America?
You can’t support what Shelly Joseph did and still make that claim so just come clean. You’re lying about that too.
As for Shelly Joseph, she is prepared to face a jury on all charges which include perjury; obstruction of justice, aiding and abetting; obstruction of a federal proceeding, aiding and abetting; and conspiracy to obstruct justice.” The plea deal meant bye-bye career, but she would have avoided conviction and jail time, which would also cost her her job.
Refusing the deal means more time and attention on a case where the evidence is significant, the witnesses many, and success for the defendant seems unlikely.
But she knew that as well as anyone.
And we get to ask Democrats who support her why they think criminals should be set free just because they also happen to be here illegally?
Thank you, Shelly
| Hot Air
