A Tennessee criminal court judge found herself behind bars after her bond was revoked for testing positive for cocaine while awaiting trial on charges of coercion of a witness and harassment. Judge Melissa Boyd, who was elected in 2022, was booked into a Memphis jail following the bond revocation during a hearing in Memphis.
Boyd stands accused of coercing her former campaign manager, Lashanta Rudd, to provide false testimony or withhold truthful testimony in an official proceeding. The indictment does not specify the nature of the official proceeding. Additionally, Boyd's communications with Rudd were deemed as attempts to annoy, alarm, or frighten her. Boyd has maintained her innocence and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Earlier in May, Boyd was suspended after facing allegations of threatening an acquaintance, soliciting money under the guise of her judicial role, and substance abuse issues. Among the accusations was a social media post where Boyd, clad in a judicial robe, sought donations for a school.
As a condition of her release, Boyd was required to undergo drug screening and abstain from drug use. Prosecutors moved to revoke her bond after she twice tested positive for cocaine in March and failed to appear for a scheduled drug test.
Judge Roy Morgan, presiding over the case, made the decision to revoke Boyd's bond and remand her to jail. Expressing disappointment at the situation, Morgan remarked during the hearing that extensive efforts had been made to assist Boyd, to no avail.
Boyd's legal team acknowledged her struggles, stating that she was in a state of relapse and not thinking clearly. The defense emphasized that Boyd is in need of help and has not been cooperative with them.
Boyd's trial is set for April 24, while the Tennessee General Assembly is slated to vote on April 4 regarding the potential removal of Boyd from her judicial position. State law allows judges to be referred to the legislature after receiving two public reprimands.
