Prosecutors appeal ruling on evidence

STILLWATER - Payne County prosecutors are appealing a judge's ruling that not enough evidence existed to try a former Stillwater elementary school teacher on child pornography charges.

Special Judge Phillip Corley said Thursday that investigators did not prove Shane Brent Murnan, 30, a fifth-grade teacher at Will Rogers Elementary School, had possession of child pornography images on his computer. The judge also ruled it was not possible to prove the pictures were of people under 18.

Murnan was arrested in August after police found on his computer four images of children engaged in sex acts, according to court documents.

Tom Lee, the Payne County assistant district attorney handling the case, said his office is appealing the ruling in the hope that another judge will overturn Corley's decision, instead ruling that enough evidence exists to hold Murnan for trial.

"This is it," he said. "If we lose that, we would be forclosed from doing anything further on the case."

Murnan has been on paid suspension from his job since before the school year began.

Two jail escapees back in custody

EUFAULA - Two men who escaped from the McIntosh County jail early Thursday were spotted in a stolen car and arrested.

Jason Duane Tetreault, 26, of Gilbert, Ariz., and Gary Franklin Compelleby, 20, also of Arizona, broke the lock from their cell door and escaped about 2 a.m., Sheriff Jeff Coleman said. By 5 a.m., both men were back in custody.

The men handcuffed a male jail employee, forced that employee and a female employee into a cell and escaped in the woman's car, Coleman said.

Eufaula police officer Chad French spotted the stolen car and pursued it south on U.S. 69 until the car pulled over near Canadian.

Tetreault, who was driving, gave up.

Compelleby ran into the woods but gave up about 5 a.m. after being tracked by police dogs.

Compelleby was being held in lieu of $10,000 bail after being charged with a Feb. 2 second-degree burglary, according to the McIntosh County court clerk's office.

Tetreault, who had been charged with transporting an open container of an alcoholic beverage and eluding a police officer on Feb. 10, was being held in lieu of $100,000 bond. The sheriff's department said he was being held for Texas authorities.

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