On Wednesday, Tennessee’s criminal court sent a judge to jail after canceling her bond due to a positive cocaine test while she was out of jail awaiting her trial on charges of harassing and coercing a witness.
Online records showed that Melissa Boyd, a judge in Shelby County Criminal Court, was put into jail in Memphis. There was a meeting in Memphis earlier Wednesday, and the judge took away her bond.
Boyd was elected in 2022, and the indictment says she forced, influenced, or tried to influence Lashanta Rudd, who used to be her campaign manager, to lie or “withhold truthful testimony” in a legal process. The indictment does not describe the legal process.
The indictment claims that Boyd intended his messages to Rudd to annoy, frighten, or worry her. Boyd has said that he is not guilty.
In May, Boyd faced termination due to allegations of making threats against a friend, soliciting money during her tenure as a judge, and engaging in drug abuse. Boyd faces allegations of soliciting funds for a school through a social media post that featured him donning a judge’s dress.
Boyd received instructions not to use drugs and was required to undergo a drug test prior to her release. Prosecutors requested the removal of Boyd’s bond after she failed another drug test and tested positive for cocaine twice in March, according to court records.
Judge Roy Morgan then revoked her bond and jailed her.
Morgan stated at the meeting for the Commercial Appeal newspaper, “We’ve put in a lot of effort, but it’s just not working.” “That’s really sad,” she said.
The judge was “in a full relapse” and “not thinking with a clear head,” according to a report from one of Boyd’s lawyers, Arthur Horne III. Boyd “needs help” and has not worked with them.
Boyd’s trial will take place on April 24. The Daily Memphian reports that the Tennessee General Assembly will vote on April 4 on whether to remove Boyd from her position as judge.
State law allows for the sending of a judge to the lawmakers following two public reprimands.
