Indicted ex-Las Cruces judge allowed to keep defense lawyer
Posted at: 01/02/2013 10:33 AM
By: The Associated Press
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) - A former Las Cruces judge awaiting trial in a bribery case can keep a defense lawyer who is married to a prospective prosecution witness.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that acting District Judge Leslie Smith refused to bar attorney Michael Stout from representing former Judge Michael Murphy even if District Judge-elect Marci Beyer is a prosecution witness.
The special prosecutor in the case wanted to have Stout removed as Murphy's attorney, saying Stout had a conflict.
Murphy has pleaded innocent to charges accusing him telling a judicial candidate she needed to pay a political activist for consideration for the post.
A report accompanying the indictment alleged that money would then be funneled to then- Gov. Bill Richardson, who has denied the allegations.
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