Murphy makes first public appearance since resignation at hearing

Former Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy surrounded by supporters following a hearing on Thursday.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Former Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy made her first public appearance in court this morning in months.

This after an investigation was launched into her residency.

Celeste Murphy was Chattanooga’s Police Chief for over two years until her residency scandal.

She is facing 17 different criminal charges including several false entries on government records in relation to the accusation she was living in Atlanta and not here in Chattanooga.

Surrounded by supporters, the former police chief avoided answering any questions.

However, attorney McCracken Poston has taken over Murphy’s case.

This is due to Murphy’s previous attorney, Alan Norton, having his license suspended following a Rhea County indictment on multiple counts of forgery.

Due to this transition, Poston says he’s working to catch up on the case, because of the amount of documents that were subpoenaed by Norton. 

In particular, there was a back and forth over the subpoena of cell phone records of the city of Chattanooga and local police unions.

Janie Parks Varnell, who is beginning her transition into the Hamilton County Attorney role, has represented the Fraternal Order of Police during this process and said the subpoena is causing issues for her client.

She wanted to hold to an agreement that the subpoenas would be withdrawn on March 1.

Varnell said, “Judge, I thought we were in agreement… With all due respect Mr. Poston, we both agreed to preserve our client’s text messages, and that’s why we suggested March 1.”

Poston says he needs more time to analyze what the records contain before agreeing to withdraw the subpoena. 

“(The subpoenas) are from a specific time period. Some of the lawyers are not specific enough and too broad, but that’s not their call to make,” said Poston.

He also noted his surprise at the charged emotion of the case.

Poston said, “It seems like that there is a lot of heat, surprisingly. A lot of anger and heat among even the lawyers of the case, which really surprised me, and perhaps that’s reflective of her tenure here and the resentments that apparently existed about her.”

Varnell did say she is handing off this case to a new attorney as she transitions into her new role.

This case has been rescheduled for the Spring.