Published: October 07, 2007 07:53 am      

Second special prosecutor handed Murphy investigation

Evansville’s Stan Levco will look into allegations of sexual misconduct

The investigation into allegations that former Clark County Republican Party Chairman Glenn Murphy Jr. sexually assaulted a sleeping man after a summer party is in the hands of another prosecutor.

The case is now being researched by Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Stanley Levco, who is based in Evansville.

Murphy, 33, also was president of the Young Republican National Federation. He resigned his political posts in August, citing a business opportunity he could not turn down. Accusations that he performed nonconsensual oral sex on a 22-year-old man as he slept in a relative’s Jeffersonville home surfaced later the same day.

Murphy denies the victim’s claims of assault, saying the act was consensual. In 1998, a 21-year-old man told Clarksville police Murphy had tried to perform sex acts on him as he slept. Charges were never filed in that case because of a lack of evidence.

When Murphy was initially investigated for the recent act, concerns were raised that if Clark County Prosecutor Steve Stewart, a Democrat, prosecuted him, it could be seen as politically motivated.

John Colin, Harrison County’s chief deputy prosecutor, was named special prosecutor in the case in late August, but decided about a month later his workload was too great to devote proper time to the case.

Levco visited Jeffersonville Thursday to talk to investigators and several witnesses, he said. Levco will decide whether to file charges against Murphy. A decision is expected by mid-November.

Levco said part of his duty is if the evidence is sufficient to prosecute Murphy to decide which charge applies to the case. In Indiana, cases involving nonconsensual oral sex are typically prosecuted as the class B felony criminal deviate conduct. Such charges have a minimum prison sentence of six years.

Murphy, a Utica resident, was elected to the Young Republican National Federation post less than two weeks before the alleged incident at the party. His primary attorney in this matter — for which he has never been arrested — is Indianapolis-based James Voyle.

He has represented high-profile clients such as former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, Indianapolis Colts running back Dominic Rhodes and former Indiana University coach Bob Knight.

Murphy’s local attorney is Larry Wilder of Jeffersonville, who also represented Murphy through the previous allegations.

A call seeking comment from Wilder was returned. However, a reporter was not able to reach him again for a phone interview before deadline Saturday.