MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Former Shelby County Judge A. Melissa Boyd pleaded guilty to a harassment charge Friday, appearing before former colleague Judge Roy Morgan.
As part of the plea deal, her coercion of a witness charge will be dismissed.
Boyd must complete a 28-day inpatient program at the Aspell Recovery Center in Jackson, Tennessee. After completing the program, she has to report to Shelby County Veterans Court and conduct check-ins to prove her sobriety and receive addiction recovery aid.
Boyd was charged with coercion of a witness and harassment in 2023. She had been booked into jail in December then released after paying a $5,000 bond, according to jail records. On March 27, a judge granted a motion by prosecutors to revoke bond for Boyd after she reportedly failed a drug screening. She was then rebooked into the Shelby County Jail.
“Ms. [Carlissa] Shaw and I were ready to go to trial,” said Art Horne, one of Boyd’s defense attorneys. “We had been prepping for trial. And when Judge Boyd went to jail, it hurt us from the perspective of being able to move our case forward.”
Facing charges of harassment and coercion of a witness in 2023. Between January and March of 2023, Lashanta Rudd said Boyd sent her unwanted messages, some including sexually explicit content. The plea agreement requires Boyd to have no contact with Rudd of any kind moving forward.
“She called from jail multiple times. She even asked me yesterday if I would marry her, and I told her no,” Rudd said.
During a previous hearing, prosecutors said Boyd tested positive for marijuana on Jan. 3, then went into treatment. They said she was released Feb. 29, but then tested positive for cocaine and alcohol on March 12. They asked the court to revoke her $5,000 bond for failing her bond conditions.
“I want to apologize for my relapse with failing the drug test and to the state also,” Boyd said Friday.
Boyd has also reportedly admitted to using cocaine while on the job. Her enrollment in the recovery program replaces a sentence of 11 months and 29 days at the Shelby County Correctional Center.
“This is more accountability than just going and serving jail time," said Frederick Agee, District Attorney for District 28 and member of the prosecution. "This is a structured program, it’s going to hold her accountable, making sure she gets the help and assistance she needs.”
After completing 28 days at the recovery center, Boyd must then immediately report to Shelby County Veterans Court to continue her recovery. If she successfully completes the entire program, Judge Morgan says the judgment will not be entered on her record.
Failure to comply with the plea agreement would result in Boyd having to serve the 11-month and 29-day sentence.
“She’s sick and she needs help,” Rudd said. “So hopefully, she will accept the help that has been extended to her. It’s an ugly truth, and once we’re able to face our truth, then we’ll be able to move forward.”
Boyd requested to be taken to the treatment facility Saturday instead of Friday so she could cremate her dog, but Judge Morgan denied that request, requiring members of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to escort her to Jackson.
Tuesday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee accepted Boyd’s resignation from the bench, effective immediately. Boyd’s attorneys sent a letter Tuesday to the state Administrative Office of the Courts saying she was resigning immediately. That came a day after she sent a letter saying she would step down at the end of May.
A hearing about her removal from the bench had been previously scheduled in the Tennessee General Assembly for Thursday. Sen. Raumesh Akbari of Memphis told ABC24 the reason for the immediate resignation was so that it would take place while the state legislature was still in session. Boyd’s initial resignation date of May 31 would take place after the 2024 session is over.
A Tennessee General Assembly Joint Ad Hoc committee voted earlier in March to remove Boyd from office. The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct recommended the removal in December after Boyd’s suspension nearly a year ago after the Board said Boyd reportedly admitted to using cocaine while on the job.
Boyd was suspended from her job in May of 2023 and had two public reprimands. Her current term was scheduled to end in August of 2030.
Boyd, who was appointed Criminal Court Division 9 Judge in August 2022, was indicted for allegedly coercing her former campaign manager to "testify falsely or withhold truthful testimony" between Nov. 2022 and March 2023, court records said.
At the time, Boyd was being investigated by the Board of Judicial Conduct, but it is unclear what proceeding the former campaign manager was testifying in.
In a release Dec. 14, the Board of Judicial Conduct said it placed Boyd on interim suspension. She was prohibited from holding court, issuing subpoenas, setting cases, issuing warrants, setting or changing bonds, administering oaths or issuing rulings.
