Arraignment Set Friday For Former Police Chief Celeste Murphy In Criminal Court

Chattanooga, July 8, 2024 – The former Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy is scheduled to face court on Friday after she was indicted as a result of an investigation conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). The arraignment is due to take place in the courtroom of Judge Boyd Patterson. Ms. Murphy, 56, resigned from her role a day before the 17-count indictment was issued.

The Investigation and Charges Against Ms. Murphy

Starting investigations in April, TBI agents were looking into the residency of Chief Murphy at the request of District Attorney General Pro Tem D. Michael Dunavant. He was appointed by the Court to act as District Attorney General Pro Tem when 11th Judicial District Attorney General Coty Wamp recused herself. The TBI stated that during the course of their investigation, it was found that Ms. Murphy had knowingly provided false information on several government documents relating to her residency in Chattanooga. This is despite the fact that she had sworn to their authenticity when signing.

As a result of these findings, Ms. Murphy has been charged with one count each of illegal voter registration and false entries on official registration or election documents, three counts each of false entries in governmental records, forgery, and perjury, and six charges of official misconduct.

Present Legal Status

On June 27, Ms. Murphy turned herself in to agents at the Hamilton County Jail. Authorities proceeded to process her and later released her after she posted a bond accumulating to $19,000.

Murphy’s Professional Background

Chosen as the new chief by Mayor Tim Kelly in 2022, Ms. Murphy came to Chattanooga from Atlanta where she had been working in the Police Department. She still has a large number of relatives living in the area. Upon her appointment in Chattanooga, Ms. Murphy was praised as the city’s first black female police chief.