NM judge arrested for rape agrees to retire

mlurp · #1 (**permalink**) 07-27-2011, 06:08 PM

seems NM is a hard place to live if you have some power.

Quote:

NM judge arrested for rape agrees to retire.

By BARRY MASSEY - Associated Press | AP – 23 hrs ago, 26 July 2011

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An Albuquerque judge accused of raping a woman will retire Friday and has agreed never to seek a judicial office in New Mexico under a disciplinary order issued Tuesday by the state Supreme Court.

District Judge Pat Murdoch was arrested last week on charges of rape and intimidation of a witness while serving as chief criminal judge in the 2nd Judicial District, which covers the Albuquerque area and is New Mexico's biggest district court system.

The agreement to retire was reached between Murdoch and the state Judicial Standards Commission, which had started a disciplinary investigation of Murdoch.

Murdoch's decision to retire ends further disciplinary proceedings by the commission and the Supreme Court, which makes the final decision on whether to reprimand, suspend or remove judges from the bench for misconduct.

Thats it, do a crime and just retire? I am sure he will be charged in the long run.

Murdoch has yet to enter a plea to the criminal charges but his lawyers say he is a victim in the case. The woman who has accused Murdoch of rape is an admitted prostitute and has said she met with him about eight times.

Murdoch's lawyers are seeking dismissal of the criminal complaint and have said police are investigating whether the woman may have tried to extort the judge with a video of a sexual encounter.

Murdoch agreed Monday to a suspension from his post while his criminal case was pending. The Supreme Court was to consider Wednesday whether the suspension would be without pay but that hearing was canceled after the court accepted the plan for his retirement.

Murdoch served on the court for 26 years. He received a law degree from the University of New Mexico in 1978, and worked as a public defender before his appointment to the district court.

New Mexico's judiciary has come under increased public scrutiny in recent years because of a series of cases of alleged misconduct, including the indictment in May of a state district judge in Las Cruces on bribery charges.

District Judge Michael Murphy pleaded not guilty to felony bribery charges in an investigation into an alleged pay-to-play scheme for judicial appointments during former Gov. Bill Richardson's administration. Richardson has denied that campaign contributions influenced his judicial appointments, saying the allegations are "outrageous and defamatory."

In 2004, the chief judge in the 2nd Judicial District, John Brennan, resigned after his arrest on drug possession charges. Brennan later pleaded guilty to aggravated drunken driving and cocaine possession.

Earlier this year, state Appeals Court Judge Richard Robles resigned after pleading guilty to drunken driving.

NM judge arrested for rape agrees to retire - Yahoo! News

AK Gandy · #2 (**permalink**) 07-27-2011, 07:07 PM

He better get thrown in prison for a long time!

.

dabateman · #3 (**permalink**) 07-29-2011, 06:59 PM

This whole case is nonsense...

Did Judge Murdoch hire a hooker? Quite probably. Did he rape a hooker? Not bloody well likely.

Judge in court on rape charge | Albuquerque, N.M. | KRQE News 13

Take a look at the video associated with the news report. This guy is physically challenged. The odds of him being able to take down a healthy 23 year old woman in order to rape her are pretty slim.

Not to mention that this whole thing was a set up. The hooker, engaging in the crime as well (prostitution), video taped the judge so that she could use the evidence at a later date to get her charges dismissed.

The police PAID the hooker $400 for the video tape of the judge. In addition, the "rape" was the judge performing oral sex on the hooker? Not the other way around? Come on!

Is the judge innocent? No. Is he what some have tried to portray? Absolutely not. A lonely old disabled man hiring a hooker wouldn't be news if it wasn't a judge. The police wouldn't pay a hooker $400 for a video if it wasn't a judge.

If this case doesn't send up red flags, people aren't thinking...

mlurp · #4 (**permalink**) 07-29-2011, 08:00 PM

True yet don't forget the power he holds to make up for other disabilities, just saying it as you seem to forget a judge can do a lot from the bench which she might come to face again.

And what about the others mentioned, you have an excuse for them to?

My point isn't to belittle you or your ideas, but you did come across like he can't do things.

And I think he can and did and would do more if he had not been placed in this position.
Power does corrupt people all the time dabateman, would you not agree?

dabateman · #5 (**permalink**) 07-29-2011, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlurp

True yet don't forget the power he holds to make up for other disabilities, just saying it as you seem to forget a judge can do a lot from the bench which she might come to face again.

No doubt, which is why she blackmailed him...

Quote:

And what about the others mentioned, you have an excuse for them to?

I've not really spent a great deal of time looking at those cases. I'm just in the middle of Murdoch coverage because it is currently happening.

Quote:

My point isn't to belittle you or your ideas, but you did come across like he can't do things.

I think my point is that the odds of him actually being able to rape her is slim and when she calls the "rape" him going down on her... Please. He's performing oral sex on a 23 year old woman and that's rape? A woman he's paid, hired as a hooker?! I mean come on. Sure, kick him off the bench for prostitution charges but rape? A little common sense should kick in here...

Quote:

And I think he can and did and would do more if he had not been placed in this position.

Maybe. Speculation.

Quote:

Power does corrupt people all the time dabateman, would you not agree?

Power CAN corrupt people...

mlurp · #6 (**permalink**) 07-29-2011, 08:18 PM

And any proof he hired her?
Well if he did it will come out in any trial that might come from this... You think?

Calypso Jones · #7 (**permalink**) 07-29-2011, 08:25 PM

Not knowing enough about it and just reading what you guys know seems to indicate to me that someone might have a political ax to grind. Like another judge or police who want the judge out. I'll wait for more info.

dabateman · #8 (**permalink**) 07-29-2011, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlurp

And any proof he hired her?
Well if he did it will come out in any trial that might come from this... You think?

She admitted to him hiring her!

mlurp · #9 (**permalink**) 07-29-2011, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dabateman

She admitted to him hiring her!

Then why was he charged?

Forget it, I just posted the story which I read first and after a day or so seem to have forgotten some of it.

I want to empty my CP in box, eat and relax... In that order.

dabateman · #10 (**permalink**) 07-29-2011, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlurp

Then why was he charged?

Forget it, I just posted the story which I read first and after a day or so seem to have forgotten some of it.

I want to empty my CP in box, eat and relax... In that order.

He was charged because someone has a political ax to grind. It's how it works.

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