Jason Clarke
CHICKASHA — The preliminary hearing for Sheriff Kieran McMullen will now stretch into its third month.
The Sheriff and three co-defendants, former Chickasha Sgt. Helen McMullen, Deputy Robert Cacy and former Chickasha Lt. Jerry Tyler, first appeared in January for a preliminary hearing on alleged gambling at the Elks Lodge.
Testimony last one day before being reset for a February date.
Special Judge Ken Harris reserved three days this month, Feb. 21 through 23, in hopes of finishing the matter.
By the end of Friday, however, it was clear that the preliminary hearing was not near being over.
At 4:30 p.m., District Attorney Bret Burns was in the middle of showing video from the investigation and did not know how many minutes he had left to show. He also had two more potential witnesses waiting in the wings.
Despite his warning that the court would stay late to finish on Friday, Harris reset the hearing to continue on the next available date, March 16.
Defendant Jerry Tyler will be absent from the March hearing, as he pled guilty to charges mid-day Friday. See the accompanying story for additional information regarding the plea.
