Thomas Francis Murphy

Thomas Francis Murphy (December 3, 1905 – October 26, 1995) was a highly respected United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He was born on December 3, 1905, in Manhattan, New York City, New York coming from a family with strong public service background; both his grandfather and father extensively served the city. His educational background boasts of his attendence at the prestigious Georgetown University to achieve an Artium Baccalaureus degree. He further advantaged himself by earning a Bachelor of Laws from Fordham University School of Law. Post his education, he spent valuable years in private law practice until 1942.

Once in the realm of public service, he held key deployments such as the Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, while rising to the rank of head of the criminal division by 1944. He contributed significantly as prosecutor in the Alger Hiss's perjury trials and later as the New York City Police Commissioner. Furthermore, as a Federal Judge, he was nominated to his post by President Harry S. Truman and confirmed by the United States Senate. He judiciously handled crucial cases including obscenity charges and wiretapping trials further enhancing his reputation in the legal fraternity before he moved to Connecticut in 1968. A lifelong Democrat, he was also fondly remembered by his younger brother, Johnny Murphy, a professional baseball player.