Kevin Mark Murphy
Encyclopedia
Kevin Mark Murphy is a Canadian musician and criminal lawyer, best known as a co-founder of the Ottawa-based music group, Singing Fools
.
The non-performing duo gained national prominence in 1985 with their nuclear-themed dance record, "The Apocalypso," and were signed to a short-lived recording contract with A&M Records
.
Murphy also garnered notoriety as an outspoken criminal defence lawyer and was publicly rebuked for his controversial conduct in a 1998 Ontario murder trial which led to the public disciplining and eventual censure of the presiding judge, Paul Cosgrove
.
Murphy obtained a B.A. in political science from Carleton University
in 1976 and a M.Sc.(Econ.) in Comparative Government from the London School of Economics
in 1979, completed a law degree the University of Ottawa
in 1991, and was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1993.
In only his third year of practice as a defence lawyer in 1995, Murphy took on the defence of a Barbados business woman, Julia Elliott, who was charged with the grisly murder and dismemberment of a Kemptville, Ontario man, Lawrence Foster. After a protracted series of defence motions, the rookie lawyer persuaded Cosgrove to stay the charges after convincing him that his client's rights to a fair trial under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
had been violated 150 times by police and prosecutors.
Cosgrove's ruling provoked an immediate appeal by senior lawyers in the Ontario attorney general's department, some of whom had been impugned by name in Cosgrove's written reasons. In 2003, the stay was overturned by the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Elliott was extradited to Canada in 2005 where she eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the killing.
The Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant
filed two disciplinary complaints in relation to the case--the first against Cosgrove to the Canadian Judicial Council
and the second against Murphy to the Law Society of Upper Canada
. Cosgrove was subjected to scathing public inquiry into his handling of the case in 2008 and soon after resigned from the bench.
In January 2010, a decade after Cosgrove's controversial ruling, Murphy was disciplined by a Law Society disciplinary panel for "uncivil"conduct towards Crown lawyers and witnesses in the case, despite an acknowledgment by the panel chair that Murphy's conduct during the trial had been condoned, if not encouraged by the presiding trial judge. In the result, Murphy was suspended from practising law—having become a federal drug prosecutor in 2008—for six-months and fined $10,000 in costs.
Murphy currently serves as a lawyer with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in Ottawa.
Singing Fools
Singing Fools was a short-lived non-performing music group established in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, in November 1982 by musicians Tim Dunlop and Kevin Murphy....
.
The non-performing duo gained national prominence in 1985 with their nuclear-themed dance record, "The Apocalypso," and were signed to a short-lived recording contract with A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
.
Murphy also garnered notoriety as an outspoken criminal defence lawyer and was publicly rebuked for his controversial conduct in a 1998 Ontario murder trial which led to the public disciplining and eventual censure of the presiding judge, Paul Cosgrove
Paul Cosgrove
Paul James Cosgrove, PC , is a former Canadian jurist as well as a former politician.-Political career:A lawyer by profession, Cosgrove entered municipal politics and served as Mayor of the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, Ontario from 1973 until 1978.Cosgrove entered federal politics running as the...
.
Murphy obtained a B.A. in political science from Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
in 1976 and a M.Sc.(Econ.) in Comparative Government from the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
in 1979, completed a law degree the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
in 1991, and was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1993.
In only his third year of practice as a defence lawyer in 1995, Murphy took on the defence of a Barbados business woman, Julia Elliott, who was charged with the grisly murder and dismemberment of a Kemptville, Ontario man, Lawrence Foster. After a protracted series of defence motions, the rookie lawyer persuaded Cosgrove to stay the charges after convincing him that his client's rights to a fair trial under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada. It forms the first part of the Constitution Act, 1982...
had been violated 150 times by police and prosecutors.
Cosgrove's ruling provoked an immediate appeal by senior lawyers in the Ontario attorney general's department, some of whom had been impugned by name in Cosgrove's written reasons. In 2003, the stay was overturned by the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Elliott was extradited to Canada in 2005 where she eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the killing.
The Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant
Michael Bryant
Michael Bryant may refer to:*Michael Bryant , British stage and television actor*Michael Bryant , Canadian politician* Michael Bryant , English cricketer*Mike Bryant , musician...
filed two disciplinary complaints in relation to the case--the first against Cosgrove to the Canadian Judicial Council
Canadian Judicial Council
The Canadian Judicial Council is a federal body created under the Judges Act , with the mandate to "promote efficiency, uniformity, and accountability, and to improve quality of judicial service in the superior courts of Canada". The Council is also mandated to review "any complaint or allegation"...
and the second against Murphy to the Law Society of Upper Canada
Law Society of Upper Canada
The Law Society of Upper Canada is responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1797, it is known in French as "Le Barreau du Haut-Canada"...
. Cosgrove was subjected to scathing public inquiry into his handling of the case in 2008 and soon after resigned from the bench.
In January 2010, a decade after Cosgrove's controversial ruling, Murphy was disciplined by a Law Society disciplinary panel for "uncivil"conduct towards Crown lawyers and witnesses in the case, despite an acknowledgment by the panel chair that Murphy's conduct during the trial had been condoned, if not encouraged by the presiding trial judge. In the result, Murphy was suspended from practising law—having become a federal drug prosecutor in 2008—for six-months and fined $10,000 in costs.
Murphy currently serves as a lawyer with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in Ottawa.