Patricia Murphy

Reporter

Patricia Murphy is an award-winning reporter at KUOW Public Radio in Seattle focusing on military affairs, veterans' issues and criminal justice. She began her career at WBUR Boston in 1994 and has worked at KUOW since 2000.{C}

Patricia's most recent series, “Less than Honorable,” investigated how the military handles more than 3,000 sexual assault cases each year. Her 2011 collaboration with the Seattle Times, “The Weight of War,” looked at heavy loads carried by troops and the increase in chronic orthopedic injuries as a result; the series won a national award for Excellence in Health Care Journalism from the Association of Healthcare Journalists. She also received a national Edward R. Murrow Award for a documentary on IV drug use and has had her work recognized with awards from the Public Radio News Directors Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.

In 2012, Patricia was inducted into the Dart Society, a network of journalists who cover trauma, conflict and social injustice. In a briefing document accidentally sent to her by an Army public affairs officer, Patricia was described as “a professional, no-nonsense reporter who comes to the table fully prepared,” though her colleagues at KUOW might also describe her as the station cut-up.

Patricia holds a BA from Emerson College in Boston.

Pages

Mental Health Crisis
10:02 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Pierce County Judge Says Boarding The Mentally Ill In ERs Violates State And Federal Law

A Pierce County Superior Court judge said Monday that temporarily boarding the mentally ill in hospital emergency rooms without treatment violates state and federal law. County and state attorneys have asked for the ruling to be put on hold while they appeal.

Read more
Sobriety Checkpoints
9:36 am
Mon May 13, 2013

The Constitutional Question Of Sobriety Checkpoints In Washington State

Credit Flickr Photo/Greg Matthews

Correction: The broadcast version of this story states that the Fourth Amendment protects against illegal search and seizure, when in fact it protects against unreasonable search and seizure. 

Washington’s lawmakers are debating new penalties for driving under the influence during a special legislative session beginning Monday.

Read more
Military Sexual Assault
9:56 pm
Tue May 7, 2013

Washington Senator Patty Murray Introduces Bill To Combat Military Assault

Credit Arlington County Police Department
Lt. Col. Jeff Krusinski, chief of sexual assault prevention in the Air Force, was arrested and charged with sexual battery over the weekend.

The latest report on military sexual assault from the Department of Defense shows a sharp increase in assaults from previous years.  For fiscal 2011, the military estimated there were 19,000 cases of sexual assault, while 3,192 cases were reported. In fiscal 2012, the estimate spiked to 26,000 cases, with just 3,374 cases reported. The estimates are based on surveys given by the DoD to military service members.

Read more
Monitoring DUI Offenders
10:52 am
Fri May 3, 2013

DUI: The Challenge Of Repeat Offenders

Credit Photo courtesy of David Ossorio
Todd Ossorio was killed by a drunk driver while riding his bike in Kent on December 23, 1992. His brother, David Ossorio, speaks about his death during victims' impact panels around King County.

After 20 years in the business, Lenny Padayao has seen it many times: Alcoholics gaming the system to avoid addressing their disease. “The alcoholic, they’ll do everything they’re required to do by cheating,” he says. “You have to keen in on these guys, because if you don’t you’ll never catch them.” 

Read more
DUI Law Compliance
10:50 am
Thu May 2, 2013

DUI Monitoring And Enforcement: An Imperfect System

Credit KUOW Photo/Patricia Murphy
Drivers convicted of an alcohol related DUI are required to install a breathalyzer device in their vehicle. Since January they're also required to install cameras so that the test taker can be verified.

Washington state lawmakers are poised to impose tougher laws against drivers caught driving drunk. They were moved to action following two fatal crashes involving drivers with previous DUIs.

Read more
Police Actions Questioned
11:55 am
Tue April 23, 2013

Emotional Meeting Over Bellevue SWAT Team Shooting

Last month a SWAT team from Bellevue arrived around 5:00 a.m. in a Columbia City neighborhood to serve a warrant for a suspect. As the dramatic scene unfolded the suspect, Russell Smith, was shot and killed by three Bellevue police officers. Now neighbors want answers about what happened.

Read more
Police Accountability
7:52 am
Mon April 22, 2013

South Seattle Neighbors Want Answers About Police Action

Credit KUOW Photo/Patricia Murphy
The house where Bellevue police shot and killed suspect Russell Smith is still boarded up. The neighborhood was locked down for four hours. Eventually, police stormed the house. No one else was inside.

On March 22, 2013,  around  5:00 a.m., a SWAT team from the Bellevue Police Department showed up at a tiny dead-end street in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood. They were there to arrest a suspect on a warrant for robbery.

Things did not go smoothly.

Read more
Program Methods Questioned
8:56 am
Fri April 19, 2013

Army Surgeon General Suspends Trust Enhancement Program Following Investigation

Credit Courtesy/LinkedIn
Program’s Director, Claudette Elliott. Investigators claim Elliott encouraged employees to participate in what were deemed to be questionable practices, including the unauthorized use of Wiccan rituals and energy readings.

  

Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of the program director, Claudette Elliott.

The Army has suspended the Trust and Enhancement Sustainment Task Force, a program that was created to help improve patient care by building on trust. Documents from the investigation obtained by KUOW show that investigators found the task force lacked the structure and employee training standards needed to execute its mission.

Read more
Alledged Murder And Militia
8:07 am
Fri April 5, 2013

Militia Group Allegedly Formed By Washington State Soldier

A solider from Washington state has been charged with murder in the death of his pregnant wife.  Prosecutors also say Pvt. Isaac Aguigui of Cashmere, Wash., is the ringleader of an anti-government militia group that plotted to overthrow the government and poison apple crops in Washington state.

Read more
Substance Abuse Suggestions
7:26 pm
Mon April 1, 2013

Help For Families Who Struggle With Addicts

The defendant charged in the recent  death of two pedestrians in Seattle’s Wedgewood neighborhood has faced DUIs in the past. Like thousands of other families, Mark Mullan's family has struggle with his addiction.

Read more

Pages