The Massachusetts State Police sergeant who gave photos of Boston bombings defendant Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to Boston Magazine has been placed on restricted duty, The Associated Press reported just after 1 p.m. ET Tuesday.
The AP adds, "Sgt. Sean Murphy leaked the photos last week, saying he wanted to counter a glamorized image of Tsarnaev on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine." On Tuesday, Murphy was placed on desk duty, where he will have no contact with the public until a further investigation is completed.
Our original post — Hearing Tuesday For Trooper Who Released Tsarnaev Photos:
"The Massachusetts State Police trooper who released arrest photos of the surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect without permission has a hearing to determine whether he will face additional punishment," writes The Associated Press.
The wire service adds that:
"The closed hearing for Sgt. Sean Murphy before a three-person panel is scheduled for Tuesday at department headquarters in Framingham. He faces suspension or even firing."
Boston Herald columnist Gerry Callahan writes that:
"Sgt. Murphy was like any other decent human being when he saw the Jim Morrison-like image on the cover of the Rolling Stone. The veteran state police photographer was infuriated by the iconic photo and nauseated by the story inside the dying magazine. He thought the public had a right to see another side of the cuddly kitten who is accused of perpetrating the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11, so he shared some crime scene photos with Boston Magazine. One of them shows a sniper's red dot on Dzhokhar [Tsarnaev's] forehead.
"It was a violation of the rules, and Murphy has a disciplinary hearing today. He is unlikely to lose his job, but just in case, there are already movements on Facebook and Twitter to keep him on the force. The tidal wave of support has been overwhelming for the 25-year-veteran."
We posted one of Murphy's photos last Thursday. He was relieved of duty for a day after the images were put online by Boston Magazine.
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