Published: November 09, 2007 06:35 pm      

Glenn Murphy Jr. charged with class B felony

Special prosecutor says former GOP leader committed sex act

JEFFERSONVILLE — A special prosecutor has charged former Clark County Republican Party Chairman Glenn Murphy Jr. with class B felony criminal deviate conduct, relating to Murphy’s allegedly performing unwanted oral sex on a man in a Jeffersonville home in late July.

Special prosecutor Stan Levco, who is Vanderburgh County’s elected prosecutor, filed the charges Friday in Clark Superior Court 1. Murphy, 33, appeared in court with attorney James Voyles shortly after 1 p.m. Friday for a five-minute initial hearing before Judge Vicki Carmichael.

Carmichael entered an automatic “not guilty” plea on Murphy’s behalf and set bond at $25,000 court-cash, which means he posted about $2,500. Carmichael said the bond amount was standard for class B felonies. If convicted, the Utica resident faces six to 20 years in prison.

Following the hearing, Murphy was booked into the Michael L. Becher Adult Corrections Complex, but was immediately released because he had already posted bond.

In addition to serving as the county’s GOP chairman for several years, Murphy served approximately one month as president of the Young Republican National Federation. He resigned both posts after a police report relating to the July incident was leaked to the media. He said at the time he was resigning to pursue a business opportunity.

The 22-year-old man who claims Murphy sexually assaulted him notified police of the incident on Aug. 3, Clark County Sheriff’s Department Detective Randy Burton said in a probable-cause affidavit. The man told police that he awoke shortly after 6:30 a.m. on July 29 to find Murphy performing oral sex on him. Murphy and the man stayed overnight at the home following a party there the previous evening.

According to the affidavit, Murphy and the man met on July 31 to discuss the incident and that the man tape recorded the conversation.

The affidavit states that on the tape, Murphy tells the man he thought the man had been “coming on” to him and that the following exchange took place between the two:

“I thought that you were awake. It’s my fault,” said Murphy. “I’m not laying this off on you. I’m trying to explain what happened.”

“I don’t know, dude,” the man replied. “Yeah, I don’t know how you can possibly think that it was OK to do that, honestly.”

Murphy said, “Dude, I wasn’t in my right mind. I wasn’t thinking.”

The affidavit also states that Murphy asked the man not to file a complaint with police and offered to help pay for his schooling.

Levco and Voyles spoke with the media following Friday’s hearing, but neither was willing to discuss specific aspects of the case in detail.

“The affidavit speaks for itself,” said Levco, adding that he and Voyles agreed that “some legal issues” needs to be resolved before the case goes to trail.

“There’s a presumption of innocence in every criminal case,” said Voyles. “Until a case is tried, we never try to anticipate anything.”

Voyles said he has not heard the tape of the conversation between Murphy and Murphy’s accuser and that he would have to hear the tape before determining whether he would attempt to have it excluded from evidence at trial.

“We’ll deal with whatever evidence the state offers at that time,” said Voyles.

Levco admitted that the case could come down to the victim’s word against Murphy’s.

“Credibility could be an issue at trial,” said Voyles.

Carmichael scheduled pretrial conferences on Jan. 7 and March 10 and a jury trial on April 1.