Vanessa Murtaugh, the former chair of the Tennessee Inmate Disciplinary Oversight Board, has been charged with aggravated statutory rape and statutory rape by an authority figure. The indictment alleges that the victim was a 17-year-old over whom Murtaugh had supervisory or disciplinary power. The former chair, who also is a past assistant district attorney for Shelby County, was booked into Shelby County Jail with her bail set at $50,000, as reported by Action News 5.
According to another report by WREG, a grand jury indicted Murtaugh on last Thursday, with the alleged offense occurring on January 10. It further detailed that Murtaugh's role presumably afforded her a position of trust, which was used "to accomplish the sexual penetration." Michael Stahl, the board’s executive director, assured that Murtaugh's indictment would not impact the Board’s workflow.
With the case potentially casting a shadow over the Tennessee Inmate Disciplinary Oversight Board, established in part due to the early release of Cleotha Abston and the subsequent tragic murder of Eliza Fletcher, the board's operations continue to be of critical interest. The Commercial Appeal obtained a copy of the indictment that led to Murtaugh's resignation from the board the day after being indicted.
