State Seeks to Censure Judge Over Absences

The state Commission on Judicial Performance has began formal proceedings against a Superior Court judge for his absence from his West Covina courtroom.

Judge Patrick B. Murphy, 44, has not taken the bench at the Citrus Court since September, missed more than 157 days of work in 1999 on sick leave and has not indicated that he will return, commission officials said. A special judge will decide whether Murphy’s absence amounts to a violation of the canons of judicial ethics.

“If the allegations are proven at a hearing, the commission can remove a judge from office, publicly censure them, publicly admonish them or privately admonish them,” said Victoria B. Henley, director-chief counsel.

Last month, interviews and records obtained by The Times showed that while Murphy was collecting his $117,000 annual salary on sick leave, he apparently had enrolled as a first-year student in a Caribbean medical school.

The judge’s absence has forced the state to appoint a retired jurist to take over his caseload at a cost of about $400 a day. Since 1996, the commission said, Murphy has missed more than 400 days of work.

Murphy’s attorney, Edward M. Moses, did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment. But Moses has said Murphy wants a permanent disability retirement.

Murphy has worked about 2 1/2 months since late 1998, when allegations surfaced that he had helped a wealthy friend conceal $1.8 million from the friend’s former wife. The allegations are the subject of a federal civil suit, a federal grand jury probe and an investigation by the district attorney’s office. The judge appeared in federal court on the case last week.

Through a former attorney and in court papers, Murphy has denied any wrongdoing and said he was falsely implicated by others.