New Information: District Judge Indicted
A Dona Ana County Grand Jury formally charged District Judge Mike Murphy with four counts related to an alleged bribery scheme. Inside a 12-page indictment, Judge Murphy allegedly admits that funneling money to former Governor Bill Richardson to secure a judicial appointment was simply how business was done.
Governor Susana Martinez issued a statement Monday in response to the indictment.
?The indictment of a sitting judge on charges that he paid bribes for his judicial appointment and solicited bribes from another judicial candidate is deeply troubling,? said Governor Martinez. ?No one is above the law and this criminal defendant should not be given any special treatment.?
The scheme allegedly started back in 2006, when Richardson appointed Murphy. Court documents state Murphy admitted to recently retired Judge, Steven Bridgforth, that he gave $4,000 to a prominent Las Cruces businessman so Richardson would secure his spot on the bench.
Judge Bridgforth told an investigator that he warned Judge Murphy not to talk about that because, ?It sounds like you?re paying for the position.?
The indictment also states Judge Murphy threatened other judicial candidates, allegedly saying, they must give a substantial amount of money to Richardson?s close friend, Edgar Lopez, who would then hand-deliver contributions to the former governor.
When District Judge Lisa Schultz learned of the situation and contacted a retired Court of Appeals Judge, Rudy Apodaca, she was allegedly told to keep quiet or risk ruining her career.
Investigators allegedly asked another District Judge, James Martin, if money in exchange for an appointment was common practice. According to court documents, he told them, ?The Governor picks someone who is active in the party. A way to show you?re active in the party is to make donations? that?s kind of the nature of politics, you have to be actively involved in the game.?
Judge Murphy is the only person involved in the case who has been charged with any crime.
Those who testified during Grand Jury Friday declined any comment to ABC-7.
