Feds asked to probe racism in state courts

A civil rights group has asked the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston to investigate the Massachusetts Trial Courts over employee complaints of widespread racist and discriminatory conduct, and a published report indicates a federal probe has been launched.

“We’ve talked to more than a dozen employees of color. They all have experienced some form of racism or discriminatory behavior,” said attorney Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice. “We felt it was important for the U.S. attorney to look at this from a systemic perspective.

“What we’re asking for is an investigation that would essentially model what transpired with the Boston Latin (School) incident,” Espinoza-Madrigal said, referring to a federal investigation that followed students’ complaints of widespread racism at the prestigious exam school.

In a June 22 letter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and to Court Administrator Jonathan S. Williams, the group claimed:

• Racial slurs are “disturbingly common.”

• Minority candidates are routinely passed over for promotion due to a “highly subjective” system of assessments of candidates.

• Discipline is unfairly meted out to minorities, who also report their competence is frequently questioned.

• The trial courts’ leadership has failed to investigate race-based concerns.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and a Trial Court spokeswoman both refused to comment.

“We can’t confirm or deny the existence of an investigation,” Trial Court spokeswoman Jennifer Donahue said.

According to the Bay State Banner newspaper, federal prosecutors have begun an investigation of the state court system based on the group’s report.

Espinoza-Madrigal said he doesn’t know whether the feds have acted on his group’s report, however.

Meanwhile, suspended Suffolk Register of Probate Felix D. Arroyo — who was suspended from his post by Trial Court administrators who noted a chaotic, ineffective office — is citing the published report on a federal investigation in a fundraising email to his supporters, saying it backs up his claim he is being wrongfully persecuted.

Espinoza-Madrigal said his group did not look at Arroyo’s situation when preparing its report for federal prosecutors.