Councilwoman pleads not guilty

Burbank City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy pleaded not guilty Thursday

to a felony child endangerment charge and misdemeanor possession of

cocaine charge in Pasadena Superior Court.

Murphy’s $100,000 bond was exonerated and she was released on her

own recognizance until her next court appearance on Sept. 28 at the

Pasadena courthouse, when a date will be set for a hearing that will

determine whether she will stand trial, according to the court clerk.

The bail exoneration and her release came at the request of

Murphy’s defense attorney, Rickard Santweir, and were approved based

on her lack of criminal history and the fact that she is not

considered a flight risk, the district attorney’s office said.

“We feel like we have a very strong case against her,” said Jane

Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.

“We do not oppose releasing her on her own recognizance.”

Murphy and her attorney hurried out of the courtroom Thursday

morning after the arraignment was over, and did not speak with

anyone.

The two refused to comment on the case. The 47-year-old longtime

councilwoman and former mayor was arrested July 13 after police found

cocaine, three handguns -- registered to her boyfriend, Glendale

resident Scott Schaffer -- and 900 rounds of ammunition in her

Burbank home on Lima Street, where she lives with her 12-year-old

son.

The Burbank city councilwoman was released the following day on

$100,000 bail.

Charges against her were filed Tuesday by District Deputy Attorney

Thomas Krag, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.

Schaffer’s alleged involvement with the Vineland Boyz street gang

led investigators to Murphy. Her arrest came the same day Schaffer,

51, was taken into custody after police found a Vineland Boyz gang

member in possession of a handgun registered to Schaffer, which was

not reported stolen.

Schaffer was arrested at his Glendale home and has been in federal

custody since without bail. He awaits an Aug. 30 trial date and is

suspected of trading handguns to the Burbank gang members in exchange

for cocaine.

If convicted, Murphy could face three years in state prison. She

will also be removed from the Burbank City Council, where she has

served for a little over eight years.

“We’re still pressing forward and trying to stay focused on

business,” Burbank City Manager Mary Alvord said. “Our council

meetings have been productive.”

In a statement released July 19, Murphy said she would not attend

any City Council meetings until her appearance in court, but she has

not confirmed she will be at Tuesday night’s meeting, Alvord said.

“We are sort of in a wait-and-see mood, like everyone else,”

Alvord said. “The last few weeks have been productive and it’s been

business as usual.”

Despite the council’s efforts to focus on Burbank, members have

felt the pressure of the case, and frustration of missing a council

member, she said.

“It’s tough to sit there and concentrate on the issues of the

evening when 15 TV channels are there,” Alvord said.