Last-Ditch Effort to Levy a Suspended Jail Term on Disgraced UPD Sergeant
Former Ukiah Police Sergeant Kevin Murray.
Mendocino County probation officers are arguing for a 12-month suspended jail term for former Ukiah Police Sgt. Kevin Murray. It is a move vigorously opposed by the high-powered defense team who negotiated a plea bargain that saw prosecutors agree to strike three sex felonies from the disgraced cop’s criminal case.
The probation call for a suspended jail term is a new twist to the planned sentencing of Murray, now scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
A suspended sentence is where a judge orders jail or prison time, but delays imposing it in order to allow a defendant to serve time on probation. If a defendant violates probation, the judge can impose the original term. In criminal law, a suspended sentence and probation are two different things. A suspended sentence is a type of court-imposed penalty for a crime. Probation, though, is a lesser type of alternative to jail where a defendant serves his sentence in the community under the supervision of the judge or a probation officer.
Murray as part of his plea deal with Mendocino County prosecutors entered no contest pleas to a felony charge of intimidating a witness – a woman in the motel room – and a misdemeanor false imprisonment charge related to a person identified in court documents only as “Jane Doe,” but believed to be the a Lake County woman who has said Murray twice in 2014 forced her to perform a sex act on him.
In its unreleased report, the probation office apparently cites objections to a non-jail sentence from the Lake County victim as a reason for the 12-month suspended jail term to be imposed.
Santa Rosa defense attorney Stephen Gallenson late Friday filed a formal objection to the probation office recommendation with Superior Court Judge Ann Moorman.
Gallenson contends that the probation department is going beyond the terms of an analysis and evaluation agreed upon when the plea deal on Murray’s behalf was negotiated.
“Extensive discussion took place between the Court and the counsel prior to the change of plea in this matter,” Gallenson wrote Judge Moorman.
“This was a negotiated disposition and the Court indicated that it did not intend to impose any additional jail time so long as there were no surprises regarding Mr. Murray’s background,” said Gallenson.
Now, citing in its report a letter from the Lake County woman, Gallenson said the probation office is asking for a suspended 12-month jail term.
“The Probation Report confirms Mr. Murray’s lack of criminal history, his service in the military, the time already incarcerated, and his remorse and recognition of the negative impact of his conduct,” according to Gallenson.
Gallenson said Murray remains sober after attending a 30-day alcohol treatment program, and he is “actively engaged in mental health treatment.”
Judge Moorman is being asked by Gallenson to “…follow its initial indication and impose no further jail time,” suspended or otherwise.
Gallenson filed letters of support in favor of probation only for Murray, from his third wife, and friends and family members.
Heather Murray said she and Murray started dating and later married after he completed a 30-day inpatient alcohol treatment program in early 2017. Together they are raising four children ages 7-17 at their home in Lakeport.
“We have struggled to shelter our children from the hateful comments on social media, and the backlash of being in the public eye,” wrote Heather Murray.
Heather Murray is a nurse by profession, and she said, “My decision to stay married to my husband amidst the multitude of allegations has cost me friendships I valued, respect I worked hard to earn, and the ability to move on with my life but I would have missed out on the opportunity to love someone unconditionally.”
“Any further jail time will not only hinder his personal progress but will also be extremely detrimental to our four children who have had to watch this chapter in our lives unfold from the sidelines,” she wrote.
Jennifer Sperber, the mother of Murray’s two oldest children, also wrote the court in favor of no further jail time. She said they met in 2003 while both served as military police officers overseas in Iraq. They were divorced in 2011, in part because “he struggled with alcohol throughout our marriage.”
But now he is sober, maintaining his sobriety, and actively engaged in rearing his children, she said.
“He is consistent, and dependable, always putting the children first.”
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This person should be held to a higher standard than an ordinary citizen.
It should on his record that a jail sentence was imposed for the rest of his life.
Police, judges, elected officials, politicians, civic leaders, teachers, doctors, etc. should all be held to a higher standard.
This guy actually got prosecuted though, which is technically a higher standard than what most criminals in CA get these days.
Still not enough.
Disgusting, why a plea deal. Probation? Crap DA.
I am saddened by their argument. “Detrimental to their kids” . That is a possibility. But the dirty cop created “Detrimental” conditions for others, he should sacrifice his rights. It is great he us sorry and has “remorse”. Apologizing does not help his victims who have suffered for years because his abuse of power and position, intimidation of others as if he was a better man. Obviously he was not a good person, and being caught and exposed does not immediately
make someone a better person. Serve the time for doing the crime, Especially when in a position of authority.
Murray’s actions were detrimental to his kids, so he gets to walk?
Disgusting miscarriage of justice. How can we respect such a perverted “justice” system?
The CHP is no better. They have an extortion racket on the willits ridge. I got directed int the scale while driving a 3/4 ton pickup. The chump wrote a ticket becus my pickup has a tool bed on it and it was done after the factory purchase. They are ruining our country with their corruption. Time to stand agaist it. Stop paying their wages for a job not done
Sorry you don’t know the law
Sleepy joe and the democrats allow this type of behavior! Can’t wait 4 the red wave in November! These losers are driving the country into the ground!
And there it is, again.🤣
I wish the solution was that simple. The corruption runs through both parties. The local corruption is because we don’t stand against it- whichever political party we favor.
I laugh at how the wife says jail will hurt his personal progress and be detrimental to his 4 kids. If he were anyone else, the justice system wouldn’t care. Many people in jail have kids and were doing good at some point in life.
Lock the wife and ex-wife up with this scumbag. Women who defend sexual predators should not be raising children. And what progress are we talking about did he just steal a wallet while out on probation?
How damaging would it be for those kids. If they saw him get away scott free. With his crimes? Lock a the asshole up. Enough with cops getting away with whatever creepy crap they pull becus they think they are above the law
How damaging will it be to our kids being around those children later on in life. Whose mother defends a rapist and whose father will most likely re-offend. People learn they are above the law when they are raised this way. Didn’t we just see that not punishing police officers who commit crimes doesn’t keep then from reoffending? Didn’t a 15 year old girl just loose her leg in that car accident where the former law officer was drunk? This is shit
The fact that he’s responsible for children is another argument in favor of locking him up and throwing away the key. Hard to imagine a more negative influence on kids than a violent, corrupt, thieving, meth-smoking ex-cop.
Also…who’s paying for that high-power defense team? If he’s paying for it himself, where’d he get the money, as a small-town cop? If other people are paying for it, who? And why?
From what I can find online, the Ukiah Police Officer’s Association has 4.5 million in revenue. Possibly that’s the source of his defense money?
Reminds me to never…Never donate anything to any police association, a Blue Line of corruption
In woke California, he will only serve 10% of his sentence. That means he will only serve 36.5 days. The will probably let him right out, and give him the ankle monitor, but then he will have to wear it and pay for it for the full 12 months.
I say put him in the jails general population and let the inmates sort it out. Most likely, this clown will probably go protective custody (pc) if he gets incarcerated.
30 day alcohol program sobered him up? Oh paleeease! 3rd wife? That says a lot about his character too.
What a load of crap stating 3 marriages says alot about a persons character.
You’re right about placing him in the general population. He wouldn’t last long.
Lock this predator up!!!
Sure, shelter YOUR children while living with a rapist. He deserves disgrace, castration & jail.
California uses chemical castration that isn’t effective…
He should get MORE time! Law enforcement is held to a higher standard and the damage his bullshit caused to good officers is immeasurable and detrimental to all LE.
No mention of revoking his POST certificate. With that certificate, he can be hired by another department, where he can continue his evil ways.
Atrocious, horrible,disgusting and a slap in the face to ALL of his victims!
Where’s the justice for this dirty cop?
RAPE must not be as serious of a crime as I was led to believe.
Maybe we can all go out and start robbing and raping now that there’s no punishment.
I’m so disgusted with the way this is going!
I have doubts she was raped. Not to be mean but I have seen similar before. A cop on the modoc drug task force offered dope for sex in front of the husband not cool but she later took him up on that offer he put her up in a house and gave her dope from the evidence room. The husband a police informant he would visit his ex and do the drugs its a shady deal for sure but you need evidence it was rape and meth will make people do some down and dirty things. In a he said she said listen women lie men lie cops lie. If a random dude had offered the dope she’d have prob done it but with a cop theres motivation for payback and possible monetary damages. Don’t like the guy but he is entitled to legal protection same as other criminals her story sounds problematic. One time being raped and no report then a second time hmmm it don’t fully add up unfortunately.
Your logic is as skewed as your sentence structure, and your defense of a convicted rapist thug is just as faulty.
He wasn’t convicted of rape though he was accused there’s a difference. Like I said I don’t approve. I suspect he’s a scumbag but I have no definitive proof and there are much much worse being done in Mendo by people far higher in the law enforcement and judicial circles than this guy. It is a smokescreen but the larger players that have done far more damage to far more people are getting off scot free and laughing their ass off.
I personally know people who got more time for a few lbs on the 101. This is an absolute joke for justice.
From my direct experience with Sonoma County probation I can say that they are not capable of providing adequate case supervision. We had an individual in Humboldt County on probation out of Sonoma for serial domestic violence (he served his time in prison) who punched his 3-yr-old in the face, and Sonoma Probation was unaware that he had been out of Sonoma County for many months (a probation violation), or that he’d been arrested for felony domestic violence again. Yet when informed, they refused to take the probationer back to prison for probation violations, in fact refused to even pick him up from Humboldt County at the boarder for “lack of transportation & personnel”.
Everybody ready?
“LOCK HIM UP!”
Thank you!
You’re welcome…
I hate to say ot but please barging and probation is standard in many rape and child molestation cases. They put one or two a year in the news then plea barging everything else.
This guy needs to go to prison and register but once again the bad guy is the victim and it is all about him.
The notorious S.R. Press democrat reporter on RHBB? What’s going on?
he quit the PD bro, then worked as spokesman for the mendo district attorney for a few years, now writing for the ava and here (puffy)
Mike is a great guy with a terrific skill as a journalist. How is he “notorious”?
From his appearance he has dead eyes, he’s got no soul, he’s an empty vessel empty. And anyone woman who would stand by this dumpster fire needs serious therapy.
“Any further jail time will not only hinder his personal progress.” It’s preposterous to even consider this. Give him the maximum sentence…
Personal progress toward what? Future rapes and assaults?
I agree….. maximum sentence. Same as the exalted stock info in chief nasty snatches husband! No mercy.
A letter to the victims of rapist Kevin Murray
You are not responsible for the hurt, betrayal, silencing, and victimization that rapist Kevin Murray willingly and intentionally caused you and your loved ones.
You are not and shall not be held responsible for the “loss of career” rapist Kevin Murray caused on himself by choosing to commit crimes against you, other victims, and the betrayal to the oath he took for the community of Ukiah. He chose with strong commitment to commit crimes. That is his pill to swallow.
To the victim he took advantage of knowing he was a white male senior officer, knowing he was in a position of power and authority, using your vulnerability to his advantage, I’m sorry he used that to try to get his way. I’m sorry you had to sleep on the nasty floor of a hotel bathroom to save yourself from being raped. I’m sorry your department failed to protect you. I’m sorry your story has been ignored by the justice system. I’m sorry community members did not see you until Chief Wyatt suddenly disappeared, Chief Waidelich was fired, and Sergeant Pintane remains hidden in the four walls of a corrupt department avoiding accountability. You are seen by community members. You have been heard. You matter.
To the victim he took advantage of knowing she was a family friend, I’m sorry rapist Kevin Murray manipulated his way into your home. He used his charismatic personality to gain your trust then later used it against you to manipulate his attorneys to believe he is innocent. I’m sorry rapist Kevin Murray intentionally and forcibly sexually assaulted you. Not only once, but more than once. I’m sorry rapist Kevin Murray’s actions were only classified as misdemeanor after the many months of court appearances to at the end only be told he may get probation. You may not have been given the opportunity to speak in court but we, the community, see and hear you. You matter.
To the victim of the hotel, I’m sorry he used his power of a police officer to justify his encounter with you then later chose to willingly and intentionally force you to conduct sexual favors on him. I’m sorry rapist Kevin Murray caused you intentional emotional harm when he trapped you in that hotel room to engage in sexual activity. I’m sorry you had to make the right, yet difficult, decision to report the heinous crimes to his peers. I’m sorry your story was not shared in court and the opportunity of confronting your abuser was stolen from you by rapist Kevin Murray working out a plea. We see you. You matter.
To the wife of rapist Kevin Murray that said she stayed with him because she “would have missed the opportunity to love someone unconditionally”, please seek therapy. Co-dependency is real. There are other fish in the sea. You are worthy of faithful, honest, true love. Rapist Kevin Murray’s selfish, willful and intentional acts to cheat on you are strong signs of him being self-centered. I’m sorry rapist Kevin Murray has dragged you and your family through emotional turmoil because he chooses not to accept responsibility. You deserve better. You matter.
To the officer who had to write recommendations for rapist Kevin Murray’s sentencing, I’m sorry you were not given complete reports of the hideous acts this ill willed person committed on the victims he prayed and sought after.
In closing, many lives were negatively impacted by rapist Kevin Murray’s actions and he is still avoiding accountability. Let us pray the justice system holds rapist Kevin Murray accountable before he prays on more victims. Rapist Kevin Murray’s victims deserve justice.
He will undoubtedly prey on more victims, if he isn’t incarcerated…He’s a serial predator.
Yes totally bias and unfair. The Feds need to come in and clean house in Mendocino County… Bring indictments against the whole legal system. I have no respect or confidence and it’s embarrassing. Shame on all of them…. It will come back to bite them in the a**.
This is what happens when we turn to conservative religious fanaticism and dismiss the law for too long.
When will it become law that we must all pray?
This is what happens when people compromise conservative values. Next we will be teaching our kids about gender swapping and other perversions. Oh wait.
This is disgusting. Lock that loser up.
If there are any good cops left in Ukiah I feel sorry for them. They must be so demoralized.
I empathize with the children. However, I don’t think empathizing with this man is a lesson we want to teach any child. Especially in the current climate we face as a nation. You can be consistent and responsible and still be bad news out on the streets. He got caught. There are consequences. Show your children how to face them like an adult and not a mouse of a man. Be honest with you children about the crimes you committed and not try to get out of it. I believe that would be the best thing for them. We’ve all known for a long time how jail time hurts the families of the accused. But why show mercy to this man? Because he’s a cop and he’s sorry? Not very just in my opinion. Tell the truth to your family and take your lashings with honor. You served our country, I know you know what that word means. Now is the time to show it.