Australia’s No. 3 Judge Convicted of Influencing Attempt

This country’s third-ranking judge has been convicted on charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

A jury in New South Wales Friday found High Court Judge Lionel Murphy guilty of trying to influence the state’s chief magistrate. The action occurred during the committal hearing of a Sydney lawyer, a friend of Murphy’s, on conspiracy and forgery charges in January, 1982. Murphy was acquitted on a second charge of attempting to influence the judge who presided over his friend’s trial.

The defendant was convicted and has been released on bail pending an appeal.

Murphy has not indicated whether he will resign from the bench. According to Australia’s constitution, he can only be forced from office by the governor general, after a request from both houses of the nation’s Parliament. Some legislators have called for his removal.