Billy Murphy Jr. facts for kids
William H. Murphy Jr. (born April 22, 1943) is a famous lawyer and former judge from Baltimore, Maryland. He is now a main partner at the Murphy, Falcon, Murphy law firm. Mr. Murphy is African-American and has worked hard to support civil rights. He has also been a key figure in local politics for many years.
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Early Life and Education
William H. Murphy Jr. was one of five children. His father, William H. Murphy Sr., was one of the first African-American judges in Baltimore. His mother, Madeline Wheeler Murphy, was a community leader. William Jr. and his siblings grew up in the Cherry Hill area of Baltimore.
He went to Baltimore City Public Schools. He graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute high school. In 1965, he earned a degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Then, he went to the University of Maryland School of Law. He was part of the school's Law Review and earned his law degree in 1969.
Law and Political Career
From the start of his career, Mr. Murphy focused on civil rights cases. One of his first successful cases defended the rights of a Black Panther Party newspaper. This showed his commitment to free speech.
Mr. Murphy became well-known as a criminal defense lawyer. In this role, he often highlighted unfair treatment of African-Americans in the legal system.
Serving as a Judge
In 1980, Mr. Murphy was elected to Baltimore's Circuit Court. This is Maryland's highest trial court. He served as a judge for two and a half years. In 1983, he left his judge position. He ran for mayor of Baltimore against the current mayor, William Donald Schaefer. He did not win the election. During his campaign, he spoke about an "other Baltimore." He said this part of the city needed more help and resources.
Returning to Law
After the election, Mr. Murphy went back to practicing law. He mostly handled criminal cases. In 1993, he started a law firm with Cristina Gutierrez. Later, he formed a new firm, Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, with Richard Falcon. Mr. Murphy is still a senior partner there.
His work at this firm has focused on civil cases. These are cases where people or companies sue each other. He has represented large companies. In 1994, The Baltimore Sun newspaper said Mr. Murphy was known for pushing hard for his clients. He explained his role as making sure "the rules [are not] bent against unpopular people."
Mr. Murphy has received many awards for his work. Baltimore Magazine Super Lawyers named him the "Top Attorney in Maryland" in 2009 and 2010. He was also listed among the "100 Top Trial Lawyers in the U.S." in 2011. In 2004, the University of Baltimore gave him the Charles Hamilton Houston Award. This award honors lifetime achievement in law.
Mr. Murphy even appeared as himself in an episode of the TV show The Wire in 2008.
Advocacy for Fair Policing
In 2015, Mr. Murphy represented the family of Freddie Gray. Mr. Gray died while in police custody in Baltimore. Mr. Murphy has long spoken out about how police practices can unfairly affect African-Americans. Even in 1999, he suggested that police officers should carry audio recorders. He believed this would help improve courtesy and fairness.
Philanthropy
In January 2024, Mr. Murphy gave $1 million to the University of Maryland School of Law. This is where he went to law school. The school announced that the money would go to a new center. This center is called the Gibson-Banks Center for Race and the Law. Its goal is to help people affected by historical and current racial unfairness.
