Murphy pleads guilty to all counts

Thursday, August 27, 2009
Murphy

GREENCASTLE -- The jury was seated and the trial was ready to begin Wednesday when the attorney for a Fillmore man charged with six felonies related to a child molestation informed prosecutors her client wished to plead guilty to all counts.

Lee Alan Murphy, 35, of Fillmore is charged with Class A felony child molesting, two counts of Class B felony sexual misconduct with a minor, Class C felonies child molesting and sexual misconduct with a minor and Class D felony dissemination of matter harmful to a minor.

Putnam County Circuit Court Judge Matthew Headley ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set Murphy's sentencing for Oct. 1.

Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter said Murphy's change of heart about going through with the trial might have had to do with "facing the reality of what's going to happen."

"Then you have the victim, this brave little girl, and the good news is she doesn't have to testify," Bookwalter said. "I don't have to put her on that stand in front of strangers to talk about the terrible things that have happened to her."

In court, Murphy's attorney, Melinda Jackman-Hanlin, was careful to point out that her client understood what he was doing.

"I'm not pressuring you into this?" she asked. "And Mr. Bookwalter is not pressuring you into this?"

Bookwalter asked Murphy about several specific situations of molestation, but Murphy said he couldn't remember any of them.

"I don't remember the situations, but they more than likely happened, yes," Murphy said.

Murphy is accused of performing various sexual acts with a minor female between the summer of 2007 and the fall of 2008.

Jackman-Hanlin attempted on Aug. 20 to get a change on venue for Murphy's trial on the grounds that media coverage of the case would make it impossible for Murphy to get a fair trial in Putnam County. Headley dismissed Jackman-Hanlin's motion without a hearing.

Murphy was arrested on March 11, and has been lodged at the Putnam County Jail since that date in lieu of a $50,000 bond. Headley remanded Murphy back to the jail after he pled on Wednesday.

Murphy pled not guilty to all charges at his initial hearing on March 13. He was set to enter a change of plea in June, but withdrew his request for a change of plea a day before the hearing was to take place.

Class A felonies are punishable by a maximum prison sentence of 50 years. Class B felonies carry a maximum of 20 years, while Class C felonies carry a maximum of eight years and Class D felonies carry a maximum of three years.

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  • Hope he gets what he deserves in prison. hope he gets to relive it daily as the victim in prison.

    -- Posted by Sand mann on Thu, Aug 27, 2009, at 5:25 AM
  • Prison will be to easy for him. Bet he checks in on the first day. then prison will be easy. single cell, commissary, rec. 3 meals and there are even people whom will write/ and talk to him from outside.

    what ever happened to Hard time?

    -- Posted by Sand mann on Thu, Aug 27, 2009, at 7:36 AM
  • Once again the banner graphic can not get their story straight. He pled guilty to one charge and the rest were dismissed. I agree he should pay for what he did but there is so much more to this story that people do not know. Judge not less you be judged. Jamie Barrand needs to take another course in journalism to discern fact from fiction

    -- Posted by sisterrose812 on Thu, Aug 27, 2009, at 10:34 AM
    Response by Banner Graphic:
    This is not true. In court Wednesday, he pled guilty to six felony charges. Only one charge of the original seven was dropped.
  • sisterrose812

    you say there is more to the story and Jamie Barrand cant get it right, why don't you tell the story? this was we will get your version.

    -- Posted by Sand mann on Thu, Aug 27, 2009, at 10:46 AM
  • wonder if there are as many child molesters is our surrounding counties? Is there a place on the web to see pictures. And if they live next door to us?

    -- Posted by Sand mann on Thu, Aug 27, 2009, at 11:45 AM
  • victory04 -

    yes there is, here is the link... http://www.insor.org/insasoweb/

    -- Posted by ec on Thu, Aug 27, 2009, at 12:10 PM
  • WOW!

    -- Posted by Sand mann on Thu, Aug 27, 2009, at 12:35 PM
  • sisterrose812-- Apparently you were NOT in that court room on Wednesday and if you were you weren't listening. I WAS in the room because I was called for Jury duty... He pled guilty to ALL 6 charges before the jury was even chosen.

    If you can not get your facts straight then SHUT UP and keep you OPINIONS to yourself.

    -- Posted by lockemup on Thu, Aug 27, 2009, at 4:49 PM
  • Thank goodness!! Another perv off our streets. Headley, please sentence him to the maximum time allowed so he will never get out and harm another child again. Too bad we cannot give him what he really deserves. Maybe prison justice will do that for us.

    -- Posted by NotSoInnocent on Fri, Aug 28, 2009, at 8:32 PM
  • I think that people like this should be locked away -- never to be released! It is amazing to me that often times a sicko like this could end up getting less time than someone who commits a drug offense. I hope they convict him of all counts!! I pray he rots in prison until he dies for what he has done!

    -- Posted by think_first on Sat, Aug 29, 2009, at 7:41 AM
  • LETS MAKE SURE HE AND ALL OTHERS LIKE HIM GET CASTRATED. IT SHOULD BE MANDATORY..

    -- Posted by takeastand on Mon, Aug 31, 2009, at 8:26 AM
  • Fillmore must be the place for these pervs to live, there is one right next door to Fillmore Elementary, really not 100 yards from an elementary school. Can you beleive that? How is that possible? Anyway he will get what he deserves. Can you spell bubba.

    -- Posted by dcsaiht on Mon, Aug 31, 2009, at 7:57 PM
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