On Thursday, Murray said the suit was dismissed "on a technicality."

"I've muddled through the best way that I could," he said. "I've made a couple of technical mistakes, but even knowning that the federal lawsuit had been dismissed I filed an appeal."

Murray said he was seeking a dismissal of the criminal charges against him and had filed open records requests with the Cleveland County sheriff's office and the Cleveland County district attorney's office.

"The Cleveland County district attorney's office has refused to answer my subpoena," he said. "And they refused to produce a copy of a 911 call made May 22."

Murray said he's made an Open Records Act request for the tape and plans to continue his lawsuit.

"I think this is the beginning and not the end," he said.

M. Scott Carter 366-3545 scarter@normantranscript.com