Wednesday, May 28, 2003
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Wednesday, May 28, 2003 |
New charges filed against former humor columnistBy JOHN
MUNFORD A former freelance humor columnist for The Citizen newspaper was arrested Tuesday morning on new criminal charges stemming from his February arrest for violating the computer pornography and child exploitation prevention act. Billy Murphy, 45, who was arrested at his home in Newnan, was charged Tuesday with an additional felony count of violating the computer pornography and child exploitation prevention act and a separate count of electronically furnishing obscene material to a minor. According to warrants for his arrest, police found two explicit photos on his computer, one of which depicted a nude minor. The latest charges arose after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation pulled data off Murphy's computer, which was seized in February by Peachtree City police, where he lived at the time. Detectives had obtained a search warrant so the computer could be examined, police said. The information from the computer revealed there was a second victim involved who lived in Gwinnett County, said Police Chief James Murray. The victim from the original charge in February lived in Peachtree City at the time, according to police. Murphy's bond was set at $10,600 Tuesday afternoon by Fayette County Magistrate Joe Tinsley. Tinsley also ordered Murphy to refrain from contacting the victims or their families as a condition of the bond. In February, Murphy was first arrested on a warrant that claimed he used America Online to "seduce, lure and entice" a 13-year-old victim. Police said Murphy had been involved in an ongoing extended relationship with the middle school student. Detectives are continuing to look at evidence in the case and it's possible other victims could step forward, Murray said. Murphy, until his arrest earlier this year, wrote a weekly freelance humor column that appeared on The Citizen's editorial page each Wednesday. Currently he is self-employed, selling music accessories for guitars and drums.
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