Joseph “Joe” Murphy Jr.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph “Joe” Murphy Jr. succeeded former United States attorney D. Michael Dunavant this morning as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. Per precedent, Dunavant stepped down from the position following the change of federal administration.
The Memphis resident was able to naturally assume Dunavant’s former position due to a clause in the Vaccines Reform Act, which allows the First Assistant to the office to become the office’s acting officer. Murphy is a graduate of Lambuth College and the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Murphy has served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Memphis office since 1989.
Prior to being named first assistant, Murphy served as the office’s criminal chief and as chief of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force. During his career, Murphy has tried approximately 125 felony cases to verdict in U.S. District courts. He has also represented the government in over 200 cases litigated before the United States Court of Appeals.