Glenn Murphy, Jr.
Glenn Murphy Jr. (born 1974) is an American Republican Party political activist. For a time he was thought to be a rising star in the Indiana and national Republican Party. He was the Chairman of the Young Republicans (since July 2007) and the chairman of the Clark County, Indiana Republican Party (since 2000) until August 2007, when he resigned both positions during a criminal investigation for sexually assaulting a sleeping 22-year-old man after a Young Republicans party on 29 July 2007.
Murphy runs a consulting firm, December Media, that advises congressional candidates, including former U.S. representative Mike Sodrel. Murphy lives in Utica, Indiana.
2007 [...] assault controversy
According to a police report filed with the Clark County SHERIFF's office, following a party on July 28, Murphy, 33, and a 22-year-old man went to sleep in separate bunk-beds at the younger man's sister's house in Jeffersonville, Indiana because they had both drunk alcohol at the party. The 22-year-old man woke up the next morning and found Murphy masturbating while performing oral [...] on the younger man. He got up and left Murphy behind in the room. On July 31, Murphy met with both the brother and sister, and admitted that he had performed oral [...] on the younger man. Murphy claims that this conversation was taped without his knowledge. Murphy contacted the pair several times, asking whether they intended to file police reports.
In a letter from his attorney at the time, Larry O. Wilder, Murphy asserted that "the events that took place that evening were as between two consenting adults." This statement is inconsistent with later revelations AbOUT the content of the taped conversation between Murphy and the complaintant in the probable-cause affidavit submitted to the court when Murphy was charged. In that conversation, Murphy said "I was out of my mind. I wasn’t thinking.". Murphy also offered a financial incentive to the young man if he would drop the criminal complaint.
By 7 August 2007, Murphy had resigned his jobs as the president of the Young Republicans and the chairman of the Clark County, Indiana Republican Party. In a letter explaining the resignation, he cited an unexpected job opportunity that required him not to hold any partisan political office.
On August 23 2007, Murphy obtained a new lawyer, James Voyles, who has represented former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, Indianapolis Colts running back Dominic Rhodes, and former Indiana University coach Bob Knight. Voyles filed a motion in the Clark County Circuit Court to have a special prosecutor assigned to the case, on the grounds that the case was too political to be entrusted to Clark County Prosecutor Steve Stewart, a Democrat. The next day, Judge Dan Donahue removed Stewart from the case and appointed John Colin, Harrison County’s chief deputy prosecutor, as special prosecutor. However, Colin turned down the appointment, citing a full work load, leaving the judge to find a new appointee. In early October 2007, the judge appointed Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Stanley Levco as special prosecutor in the case.
On November 09, 2007, Levco filed formal charges against Murphy in Clark County Superior Court 1. Murphy was charged with a class B felony, criminal deviate conduct, in a hearing before Judge Vicki Carmichael. After the judge entered an automatic plea of Not Guilty for him, Murphy was arrested, booked, and immediately posted bond. Judge Carmichael scheduled pretrial conferences on Jan. 7, 2008, and March 10, 2008, and a jury trial on April 1, 2008. If convicted of the offense as charged, Murphy faces a sentence of between six and 20 years in prison.
Commentators have grouped this controversy together with other recent gay [...] scandals surrounding the Republican Party, including those involving Larry Craig, Bob Allen, and Ted Haggard.
1998 [...] battery report
On 14 June 1998, Justin, 21-year-old man, filed a police report alleged that he was sleeping on the floor and woke up to find Glenn Murphy, whom he had just met, performing oral [...] on him. He pushed Murphy off, jumped back, and ran into the restroom to clean himself off. The younger man's girlfriend, Courtney B. Kimes, was asleep in the room at the time, but awoke when he screamed. No charges were filed due to lack of evidence.
Cultural references
Glenn Murphy's position at the Young Republicans and his arrest have become a topic for comedians. In August 2007, the scandal appeared in the opening monologue of Jay Leno on The Tonight Show:
The brand new president of the Young Republican National Federation, 33-year-old Glenn Murphy, has resigned after one month in office, after police say he is being investigated for performing an unwanted [...] act on a sleeping man. Murphy defended himself by saying the act was consensual and he may have had just too much to drink at the time. Well, what guy hasn't done that after a couple of beers? ... See, there you go. The Democrats may talk a good game at the gay rights forum last night, but the Republicans are actually out there doing gay things.