On June 23rd 53 people drove from all over Alaska to attend the arraignment of ex-judge Margaret Murphy for perjury. This indictment is the result of a grand jury convened under the Alaska State Constitution. Under the Alaska Constitution people have the right to question the courts and other agencies for faulty processes and corruption. All elected officials need to be accountable. People from as far away as Talkeetna drove to listen to a hearing that lasted approximately 12 minutes. The courtroom was rightfully packed with people wanting to witness that a judge caught lying was being held accountable.
Perjury under oath is a big deal but it is even bigger when the person is a judge. For years people have gone to court for cases presided over by Judge Margaret Murphy. There have been multiple complaints. Alaska only has one judicial investigator, Marla Greenstein. It would seem that the Alaska Grand Jury convened in Kenai to investigate has done a better job than Marla Greenstein the only judicial investigator in Alaska.
Margaret Murphy is looking at a fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years in jail. This penalty is pretty small when you weigh the fact that her lies could have cost someone their livelihood, the tools for earning a living, or made someone a criminal then in fact her lies probably cost a lot more than she will be paying if convicted. If you or someone you know have been part of a case involving Ex-Judge Murphy please contact us at sarah.s@alaskagrandjurorsassociation.org or post a comment here with the case name. Judge Murphy is scheduled for pretrial conference 8/11/2023 at 10am in Kenai, Alaska.
