District Judge Mike Murphy
The attorney representing Third Judicial District Judge Mike Murphy says any suggestion that the judge committed a crime is “absurd.”
“Judge Murphy has not committed any crime, and any suggestion otherwise is absurd,” Las Cruces attorney Michael Stout was quoted today by the Las Cruces Sun-News as saying.
“Judge Murphy is a dedicated and honest judge and was a tremendously experienced and talented lawyer,” Stout said. “His selection as a judge several years ago was an easy pick and followed the same nominating process that produced all judges in the state and in Las Cruces, including the most recent appointees.”
“It is an insult to all judges in New Mexico and Las Cruces to suggest that any judgeship could be purchased. Judge Murphy’s position was not,” he said.
As I’ve reported, Murphy has received notification that a grand jury will consider charging him with bribery. The allegations under investigation are that Murphy, a Democrat, paid a bribe in exchange for then-Gov. Bill Richardson appointing him to the bench in 2006, and that he may have solicited bribes for Richardson from applicants for other judgeships.
The bribe or bribes were allegedly paid as political contributions and went to an unnamed “local political figure.” No one besides Murphy, including Richardson, has received notification that they may be indicted.
A grand jury has been scheduled to meet twice – most recently for today – and then delayed. NMPolitics.net has not been able to verify the reason the grand jury has been delayed or the date it’s now scheduled to meet.