04-17-2009, 02:08 PM
03/23/04 - Florida - After four hours Monday, attorneys selected six jurors to decide whether a former Cape Coral Police Officer engaged in unlawful sexual activity with a minor.
John P. Murphy, 37, faces the charges of unlawful sexual activity and sexual battery by a police officer.
Murphy also has four similar charges pending in Lee County.
Circuit Judge Donald Pellecchia will decide whether the alleged victims from the Lee County cases will testify in the current Charlotte County trial during a hearing this morning.
Murphy, who is no longer a police officer, was working at a an explorer camp from March 30 to April 2, 2001 at the Boy Scout Campgrounds off State Road 74, in eastern Charlotte County. Teens involved in police and hospital Explorer groups from around the state attended the camp.
After engaging in sexually oriented conversations with some of the young female campers, Murphy commented to one 16-year-old girl that she would be legal in one more year. On the second night of camp, Murphy was alone with the girl and began kissing her, according to the arrest report.
She pulled away from the graying Murphy, saying "she was too young and he was too old," the report states.
Murphy allegedly began giving her a back massage which progressed to rubbing other parts. The teen told him to stop, the report states.
"Officer Murphy told her that since she was a virgin, that before giving herself to someone she really cares about, she should first have sex with someone experienced, that way she could learn to better satisfy her partner," according to the report.
The former cop then exposed himself, grabbed the victim's hand and began fondling himself. Murphy allegedly asked the girl to perform oral sex, telling her he wouldn't allow her to return to camp unless she obliged, police reported. He then pulled her head into his lap.
Jury selection began around 2 p.m. Monday at the Charlotte County Justice Center.
Most prospective jurors thought they were going to decide a DUI case, or perhaps, a burglary.
But when the judge announced the charges of the case, some jurors cringed, put their hand to their head or looked down.
09/10/04 - Florida - The former Cape Coral police officer accused of molesting several teens is back behind bars on a new charge.
John P. Murphy, 37, was arrested recently on a charge of perjury after allegedly lying during his March sexual battery trial, which ended in a mistrial.
Murphy was accused of forcing a 16-year-old girl to perform oral sex on March 31, 2001, while he was supervising a police explorer camp at the Boy Scouts Campground, off State Road 74 in Charlotte County.
During the trial, jurors heard from other young women who told similar stories of being molested or forced to perform sexual acts by Murphy, who was often on duty as a police officer during the incidents.
The now 21-year-old woman told jurors she was fondled while riding along with Murphy as a police explorer in his patrol car while she was 16 years old.
The victim was able to provide specific details about where the molestation occurred while Murphy was conducting traffic duties in Cape Coral.
When Murphy testified, he claimed he never performed traffic duties at that location.
But Charlotte County prosecutors have discovered otherwise.
The State Attorney's Office acquired documents from the Cape Coral Police Department indicating Murphy did in fact perform traffic duties many times along the street the victim described.
Now, in addition to facing molestation charges in Charlotte and Lee counties, Murphy has been locked up at the Charlotte County Jail on a perjury charge.
"Perjury charges are not common because they're very difficult to prove," said Assistant State Attorney Dan Feinberg.
Murphy is being held on $20,000 bond for the perjury charge.
John P. Murphy, 37, faces the charges of unlawful sexual activity and sexual battery by a police officer.
Murphy also has four similar charges pending in Lee County.
Circuit Judge Donald Pellecchia will decide whether the alleged victims from the Lee County cases will testify in the current Charlotte County trial during a hearing this morning.
Murphy, who is no longer a police officer, was working at a an explorer camp from March 30 to April 2, 2001 at the Boy Scout Campgrounds off State Road 74, in eastern Charlotte County. Teens involved in police and hospital Explorer groups from around the state attended the camp.
After engaging in sexually oriented conversations with some of the young female campers, Murphy commented to one 16-year-old girl that she would be legal in one more year. On the second night of camp, Murphy was alone with the girl and began kissing her, according to the arrest report.
She pulled away from the graying Murphy, saying "she was too young and he was too old," the report states.
Murphy allegedly began giving her a back massage which progressed to rubbing other parts. The teen told him to stop, the report states.
"Officer Murphy told her that since she was a virgin, that before giving herself to someone she really cares about, she should first have sex with someone experienced, that way she could learn to better satisfy her partner," according to the report.
The former cop then exposed himself, grabbed the victim's hand and began fondling himself. Murphy allegedly asked the girl to perform oral sex, telling her he wouldn't allow her to return to camp unless she obliged, police reported. He then pulled her head into his lap.
Jury selection began around 2 p.m. Monday at the Charlotte County Justice Center.
Most prospective jurors thought they were going to decide a DUI case, or perhaps, a burglary.
But when the judge announced the charges of the case, some jurors cringed, put their hand to their head or looked down.
09/10/04 - Florida - The former Cape Coral police officer accused of molesting several teens is back behind bars on a new charge.
John P. Murphy, 37, was arrested recently on a charge of perjury after allegedly lying during his March sexual battery trial, which ended in a mistrial.
Murphy was accused of forcing a 16-year-old girl to perform oral sex on March 31, 2001, while he was supervising a police explorer camp at the Boy Scouts Campground, off State Road 74 in Charlotte County.
During the trial, jurors heard from other young women who told similar stories of being molested or forced to perform sexual acts by Murphy, who was often on duty as a police officer during the incidents.
The now 21-year-old woman told jurors she was fondled while riding along with Murphy as a police explorer in his patrol car while she was 16 years old.
The victim was able to provide specific details about where the molestation occurred while Murphy was conducting traffic duties in Cape Coral.
When Murphy testified, he claimed he never performed traffic duties at that location.
But Charlotte County prosecutors have discovered otherwise.
The State Attorney's Office acquired documents from the Cape Coral Police Department indicating Murphy did in fact perform traffic duties many times along the street the victim described.
Now, in addition to facing molestation charges in Charlotte and Lee counties, Murphy has been locked up at the Charlotte County Jail on a perjury charge.
"Perjury charges are not common because they're very difficult to prove," said Assistant State Attorney Dan Feinberg.
Murphy is being held on $20,000 bond for the perjury charge.