I’m a felony trial attorney with the San Diego District Attorney’s Office and currently the Team Leader of the East County Gang Prosecution Unit. Simply put – I prosecute violent crimes committed by San Diego’s most dangerous offenders. In 2016, I was named “Prosecutor of the Year” for work done relating to a multi-year prosecution involving 18 shootings and three murders.

As a prosecutor, I’ve helped coordinate and organize multi-jurisdictional investigations utilizing law enforcement agencies including the Cross-Border Violence Task Force, Violent Crimes Task Force, and the East County Gang Task Force.  All these efforts have been aimed at trying to combat and curb violence in our communities, including gang and cartel violence.

In addition to my work, I am active within my community and believe in furthering myself and others as much as possible. I have taught 2 separate classes at CWSL, served on the Alumni board for 7 years and elected as President of said board in 2010. In addition, I have also served as both the Director and Treasurer of the San Diego County Bar Association. 

My work with organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters allowed me to mentor an at-risk teen for several years, and I continued to work with youth in the City Heights area through my involvement with the Visionary Community which impacts youth through science education. 

A good judge should appreciate the gravity and import of their job. Having seen first-hand the tragic consequences of the justice system failing, I am clear-eyed about the impact this job has on people’s lives.  

As our legislative branch continues to grant the judiciary more discretion, it is important to elect and appoint judicial officers who not only have the legal knowledge and temperament for the bench, but also a thoughtfulness and intellectual honesty while making decisions that affect people’s lives and decisions that can affect public safety.

My goal as a judge will be to approach every case with fairness, impartiality and preparation. In every case, I will commit to following the law and applying the law fairly, without bias. I will strive to make sure that every person that appears in front of my court is heard and treated with respect during those hearings.

2022-Present:        Chief Trial Counsel, Cage & Miles, LLP

Senior Counsel overseeing the firm’s case strategy and preparation for trial, motion, and other in-court proceedings while training and mentoring the firm’s lawyers in all aspects of court presentation; working with the firm’s named partners in developing new areas of practice, including the civil prosecution of Elder Abuse matters, healthcare entity representation and professional licensing defense

2011- 2022:           California Deputy Attorney General

State-wide Prosecutor handling the vertical prosecution of both civil and criminal matters (from case investigation to review/issuance through jury trial/sentencing and appeal) of major felony healthcare and financial fraud cases as well as matters involving the abuse of elders/dependent adults

-       responsibility for upwards of an 80-matter caseload across multiple jurisdictions;

-       responsible for the case supervision of up to 5 investigative teams;

-       work extensively with multi-agency teams in complex healthcare fraud investigations;

-       prosecuted more cases through jury trial and verdict in the last 3 years than has been conducted by my Bureau in the last 5 years combined;

-       handled multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional civil Qui Tam actions involving joint prosecutions with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and numerous State Attorneys General;

-       provide advisory input to my state-wide Bureau on various legal policies including:  the use of an investigative Criminal Grand Jury, criminal issuing guidelines, plea set-asides, search warrant preparation, and the analysis & re-drafting of pending legislative efforts in healthcare fraud.

2003 - 2011:          Principal, Law Offices of Peter F. Murray

Private practitioner focused on the representation of peace officers/other government employees both in administrative/civil and criminal proceedings; as well as general criminal defense primarily in the area of “White Collar”/Financial crimes, in both the State and Federal courts.  Representative case work:

-       the defense of numerous federal and state law enforcement agents facing criminal and civil liability for on-the-job violations - took one such case up on Appeal resulting in a published appellate decision and filed a subsequent Petition for Review to the Cal. Supreme Court;

-       the defense of a college administrator in a high-profile six-week jury trial consisting of numerous white-collar crime and Government Conflict-of-Interest allegations – successful in dramatically reducing Client’s custodial exposure over the D.A.’s opposition; brought the case up on appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal;

-       the defense of a healthcare professional in a twelve-defendant felony Indictment based on 17,000 pages of discovery brought by the state Attorney General’s office – co-authored and argued the successful Motion to Dismiss the Indictment;

-       the successful representation of a California county department in the prosecution of civil financial elder abuse cases litigated in the Probate Court, included litigation in Federal Bankruptcy Court;

-       represented multiple Clients in federal asset forfeiture matters – successfully negotiated the return of assets;

-       represented a Client charged with an Insurance Fraud scheme – negotiated a resolution wherein the case was eventually Dismissed by the State;

-       the successful representation of multiple management/financial professionals in a large civil fraud action stemming from the operation of a Building Industry trade group;

-       handled deal negotiations for multiple small business entities, including a professional sports agency.

1992 - 2003:          San Diego Deputy District Attorney

Prosecuted over 75 cases through jury trial and verdict, conducted over 100 preliminary examinations, prosecuted over 30 cases through bench trial, presented cases to the Grand Jury; handled cases throughout the spectrum of criminal law: crimes of violence (including Murder and Manslaughter), theft (including Embezzlement and Conspiracy to Commit Extortion), fraud (including Insurance and Investment Frauds), Tax Evasion, Sale of Narcotics, and sexual abuse.  Worked in every branch of the office, including Juvenile Division.

1990 - 1992:          Associate Attorney,

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, San Diego

1980 - 1988:          U.S. Naval Officer and Aviator

The Judicial position is, by definition, non-partisan.