Mugshot of former Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy
A Jan. 20 trial date has been set for former Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy. She has been charged with 17 felony and misdemeanor charges, including forgery falsifying information in government documents.
She was charged June, 2024. She has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Judge Boyd Patterson said an outside jury may be used.
Ms. Murphy attended the hearing by Zoom.
TBI agents began investigating the residency of Chief Murphy in April, 2024. During the investigation, agents determined Ms. Murphy knowingly entered false information on several government documents related to establishing residency in Chattanooga, though swearing to their truth in signing the documents, the TBI said.
The Hamilton County Grand Jury returned a 17-count indictment, charging Ms. Murphy with one count of illegal voter registration, one count of false entries on official registration or election documents, three counts of false entries in governmental records, three counts of forgery, three counts of perjury, and six counts of official misconduct.
Ms. Murphy had been tabbed as the new chief by Mayor Tim Kelly in 2022. She stepped down from the post June 26, 2024, just one day before she was charged.