Judge arrested on rape charge

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - District Judge Albert "Pat" Murdoch was arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges including rape.   According to the arrest warrant, the charges stem from a secret video tape the prostitute made of the judge in his own bedroom.

Murdoch was released from jail on Wednesday morning at around midnight on a $50,000 bond. Police say he had been kept away from other inmates for his own safety while in custody. He is scheduled to make a first appearance in Metro Court on Thursday.

Murdoch is the chief criminal judge in the 2nd Judicial District in Albuquerque.

He is charged with criminal sexual penetration and intimidation of a witness.

The criminal complaint states undercover police received a tip of a sex tape with the judge and a prostitute.  The undercover officers bought the tape from the woman and her pimp for $400.  They say when they watched it they saw Judge Murdoch having sex with that prostitute. 

Police say at one point on the tape Murdoch forced himself on the woman to perform oral sex on her after she told him no.  Officers searched Murdoch's home, then went to District Court to arrest him.