SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn — A Shelby County Judge has pleaded not guilty to charges of coercion of a witness and harassment.
According to court records, Judge A. Melissa Boyd was indicted by a grand jury Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023.
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 Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct, but it is unclear what proceeding the former campaign manager was testifying in.
Boyd was also charged with harassment, which occurred between Jan. 2023 and March 2023. According to court records, Boyd allegedly communicated with someone without lawful purpose, and the grand jury deemed her intent was to annoy, offend, alarm or frighten the person.
Boyd was booked into jail Wednesday, but she is back out after paying a $5,000 bond, according to jail records.
In a release Dec. 14, the Board of Judicial Conduct said it would place Boyd on interim suspension effective immediately. She is prohibited from holding court, issuing subpoenas, setting cases, issuing warrants, setting or changing bonds, administering oaths, or issuing rulings.
In May, Boyd was suspended by the board for using marijuana and cocaine while serving as a judge, according to the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct.