| Sources |
- [S104] Cocke County, Tennessee, and its People, Cocke County Heritage Book Committee, (Walsworth Publishing, 1992), 67.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 6 Mar 2008.
Woman fires 9 mm Ruger inside Hilltop Church, crashes in Carson Springs while fleeing police
2008 Photo submitted Sgt. Armando Fontes provided the Plain Talk with photos of the 2004 Saturn VUE Janet Comtpon wrecked off Clevenger Cut Off Road in Carson Springs Wednesday evening. According to Fontes' report, Compton was fleeing Newport Police after allegedly firing a shot inside Hilltop Baptist Church. Compton reportedly attempted to negotiate a curve at a high rate of speed across from Morgan Road and lost control of her vehicle. The Saturn went down an 80-foot embankment, struck trees, overturned and came to rest on its side in a creek. Fontes and police found no evidence of contact between Compton's vehicle and police cruisers, ruling out any possible contributing factors to the wreck. The Cocke County Fire Department and Newport Rescue Squad extricated Compton, who was seriously injured, from her vehicle. She was flown by WINGS to UT Medical Center.
By: Caleb Abramson
Source: The Newport Plain Talk
03-06-2008
NEWPORT-A woman who allegedly fired a shot inside the Hilltop Baptist Church, 120 McCabe Ave., is in critical condition at UT Medical Center after wrecking a 2004 Saturn VUE minivan she drove to evade capture Wednesday evening.
According to a report by Patrolman Rick Stephenson, Newport Police were notified of the shooting just after 7 p.m.
Stephenson's report states, "At about 7:09 p.m., Central Dispatch received a 911 call concerning a female firing a 9 mm inside the Hilltop Baptist Church. When I arrived, the female had left the scene." Janet Compton was listed as the suspect. She and her husband, Michael Compton, are reportedly going through a divorce.
Stephenson's report continues, "I spoke to Mr. Lee Shults, 212 Whim Way, Bybee, who stated he had called 911. Shults stated Mrs. Janet Compton, 52, 152 Circle Road, Newport, had entered the church with a 9 mm in hand. Mr. Michael Compton, 53, 1435 Mountain Ranch Road, Newport, told Mrs. Compton to put the gun down and step outside. Cline Franklin stepped into the center of the pews and began to walk toward Mrs. Compton. Mrs. Compton fired one round from the 9 mm. The round missed Mr. Franklin and hit the floor. The round then hit a table and came to rest in the pulpit. Mrs. Compton then pulled the phone line out of the wall. Mr. Compton ran out the door and Mrs. Compton followed."
Stephenson's report lists approximately 65 to 75 people, all of whom were unharmed, were present during Hilltop's Wednesday night service.
Stephenson contacted Newport Detective Lynn Shults who recovered a 9 mm slug and casing from inside the church. Shults found the 9 mm Ruger (serial No. 311-46555) semi-automatic pistol inside the church. The pistol's clip, reportedly containing six live rounds, was found near the gun, which still had one bullet chambered and the hammer cocked. Shults told the Plain Talk the pistol Compton allegedly used wasn't stolen and she does not have a handgun-carrying permit.
A witness to the alleged crime compiled a written statement, which read, "(A female) called and said that Janet Compton took an overdose of pills and she was at the hospital and said Mike Compton needed to come to the hospital.
Approximately two minutes later, Janet Compton entered the church. Mike Compton told Janet to put the gun down and step outside. Then when I stepped around the corner...she had the gun pointed at my head. I stepped back to call 911. At that time, Cline Franklin started down the aisle toward Janet Compton and then a shot was fired. Mike hollered "call the law." She (Compton) jerked the phone out of the wall and swerved around to where I was standing with a gun in her hand. (She) came by where I was trying to approach Mike at the pulpit. Mike then ran down the aisle toward the door and then she ran out the door behind him."
According to Cocke County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Armando Fontes, Patrolman Billy Woody initiated the pursuit of Compton while she was fleeing from the Church onto West Highway 25/70. Compton was reportedly fleeing at a high rate of speed in a 2004 Saturn Minivan when she made a left turn from West Highway 25/70 onto Clevenger Cut Off Road, knocking median signs down with the vehicle.
Fontes said Compton traveled south on Clevenger Cut Off and lost control of the vehicle while attempting to negotiate a curve across from Morgan Road. Fontes told the Plain Talk Compton's vehicle traveled off the left shoulder of Clevenger Cut Off Road, down an 80-foot embankment, through a thicket, along with several larges and small trees before flipping and coming to rest on its side in a creek at the bottom of a ravine.
Fontes said he was approximately two minutes behind Newport Police when the call went out and that no contact was made between the suspect's vehicle and city/county cruisers. Fontes added, "The Newport Rescue Squad and Cocke County Fire Department were a huge help." Fontes is pursuing charges of failure to maintain control and reckless driving.
Compton was extricated from the vehicle and flown by WINGS to UT Medical Center in Knoxville.
Shults said he will pursue charges of attempted first-degree murder, reckless endangerment and possession of a firearm to go armed.
- [S113] Manes Funeral Home, (http://www.manesfuneralhome.com), 2 Mar 2007.
Dovie Sane Presnell obituary
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 7 Mar 2008.
NEWPORT-A woman who allegedly fired a round from a 9 mm Ruger semi-automatic pistol inside the Hilltop Baptist Church Wednesday evening may be moved to another room at UT Medical Center in Knoxville according to NPD Detective Lynn Shults.
Shults has taken out a warrant against Janet Compton, 52, 152 Circle Road, Newport, for both felony and misdemeanor charges. Shults told the Plain Talk the warrant is for possession of a firearm with the intent to go armed, misdemeanor; reckless endangerment, felony; criminal attempt to first-degree murder, felony and evading arrest by motor vehicle, which is also a felony.
Cocke County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Armando Fontes' crash report lists charges of failure to maintain control and reckless driving that will likely be brought against Compton as well.
Compton reportedly entered the Hilltop Baptist Church armed Wednesday evening around 7 p.m. Police reports show the initial call to 911 went out around 7:09 p.m. Compton reportedly fired one round from a 9 mm Ruger handgun from the back of the church. The bullet ricocheted off the floor and struck the pulpit. Shults dislodged the round from the pulpit after arriving on scene. Shults also recovered a Ruger 9 mm pistol (Serial No. 311-46555), which still had one live round chambered with its hammer cocked back. The pistol's clip, which contained six live rounds, was found near the firearm.
Compton and her husband, Michael Compton, 53, 1435 Mountain Ranch Road, Newport, who was present at the church during the shooting, had reportedly argued in the past over divorce issues.
In similar news, Dep. David Crowder responded to an aggravated burglary call made by Janet Compton's brother, Jimmy Teague, 56, 152 Circle Road, Newport. Crowder's report reads, "Jimmy Teague told me he left 152 Circle and locked both front doors. He said he went to Knoxville and returned around 1 p.m. to find the front screen door had been forced open. He said the second front door was locked. Teague said the person who entered the house ransacked his sister, Janet Compton's bedroom and removed papers and other things from dresser drawers, which he found on the bed and floor."
Crowder's report continued, " Teague said the only person who has a key is Michael Compton. Teague said nothing appeared to be missing. He said he believes Michael Compton broke into the house looking for papers relating to guns he owned and tax records. Teague said Michael Compton had a key to the front door."
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 16 Mar 2008.
Compton in custody after UT Medical release
NEWPORT-A woman who allegedly fired a round from a 9 mm Ruger semi-automatic pistol inside the Hilltop Baptist Church last Wednesday evening is in custody without bond at the Cocke County Jail.
According to Newport Detective Lynn Shults, Janet Compton, 52, 152 Circle Road, Newport, was released from UT Medical Center Friday afternoon. Compton suffered injuries sustained in a car wreck while evading both police and sheriff’s deputies last week after allegedly discharging a firearm inside the church.
Last week, Newport Detective Lynn Shults took out a warrant against Janet Compton, 52, 152 Circle Road, Newport, for both felony and misdemeanor charges. Shults arrested Compton after her release Friday on charges of reckless endangerment (Class E felony), criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder, possession of a weapon with the intent of going armed (Class A misdemeanor) and evading arrest by motor vehicle.
Compton and her husband, Michael Compton, 53, 1435 Mountain Ranch Road, Newport, who was present at the church during the shooting, had reportedly argued in the past over divorce issues.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 3 Apr 2008.
Circuit Court Judge Ben W. Hooper II ordered Janet Compton, 52, 152 Circle Road, Newport, to be evaluated by Cherokee Health Systems to determine whether she constitutes a danger to herself, the public or any of the alleged victims of the crimes she is being charged with. Hooper made the ruling Wednesday in a bond hearing for Compton. Compton fired a shot from a 9 mm Ruger pistol inside the Hilltop Baptist Church Wednesday, March 5 while 65-75 people were present. Newport Police and the Cocke County Sheriff’s Department pursued Compton, who fled in a 2004 Saturn SUV, until she lost control of her vehicle in a curve on Clevenger Cut Off. Compton was sent to UT Medical Center and remained in critical condition until finally overcoming injuries suffered in the crash. Newport Detective Lynn Shults took out a warrant against for both felony and misdemeanor charges. The warrant is for possession of a firearm with the intent to go armed, misdemeanor; reckless endangerment, felony; criminal attempt to first-degree murder, felony and evading arrest by motor vehicle, which is also a felony. Compton and her husband, Michael Compton, 53, 1435 Mountain Ranch Road, Newport, who was present at the church during the shooting, had reportedly argued in the past over divorce issues. According to the court order, the motion to set bond for (Compton) has been taken under advisement and the Court ordered the defendant to undergo a forensic psychological evaluation at the Cherokee Mental Health facility in Newport or the Cherokee Mental Health System to determine her mental status. Once the evaluation is complete, Hooper will reportedly reconsider the bond request.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 9 May 2008.
Compton indicted in church shooting
NEWPORT-The woman who is accused of firing a 9mm handgun inside Hilltop Baptist Church in March was named Monday on a five-count presentment issued by the Cocke County Grand Jury.
Janet Lee Compton, 52, of 152 Circle Road, is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment involving a deadly weapon, and evading arrest.
The presentment against Compton was opened by Circuit Judge Ben W. Hooper II when the grand jury reported Tuesday afternoon. Grand jurors heard 108 cases during the two-day session, which also resulted in a grand jury report calling for improved law enforcement procedures and equipment.
Newport police were notified of a shooting incident at Hilltop Baptist Church at 7:09 p.m. on March 5. When the 9mm Ruger pistol was fired inside the church, the bullet hit the floor, a table, and then lodged into the pulpit at the front of the church.
The pistol's clip, reportedly containing six live rounds, was found near the gun, which still had one bullet chambered and was ready to fire.
The victims of the two alleged attempted first-degree murder counts are listed in the grand jury's report as Michael Compton, of 1435 Mountain Ranch Road, the defendant's husband (the couple were reportedly in the process of divorce when the shooting occurred) and Cline Franklin, of 122 Brookfield Drive, who witnesses said was approaching the woman inside the church when the shot was fired.
After Compton pulled the telephone wire out of the church's wall, Michael Compton reportedly ran outside the church and his wife followed.
At that point, Janet Compton got into a 2004 Saturn VUE and headed west on Knoxville Highway. The car overturned in the Carson Springs community during a chase involving both police and sheriff's deputies.
She was injured in the crash and spent several days in University of Tennessee Hospital in Knoxville before being taken into custody and held without bond. During a hearing about a month ago, Judge Hooper ordered the woman to undergo a psychological evaluation to determine whether she is a threat to herself or others before considering releasing her on bond.
That issue might be considered when Compton is arraigned on Monday, May 12, in Cocke County Circuit Court.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 28 Jan 2009.
Insanity defense expected in church shooting case
Author: Gilbert Soesbee
NEWPORT-Fifty-three-year-old Janet Compton understands the nature of the attempted murder charges against her and is fit to stand trial, but a mental health professional believes she could support an insanity defense.
Compton, of 152 Circle Road, is named on a five-count indictment in connection with a shooting incident inside Hilltop Baptist Church last March. She is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, illegal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment involving a deadly weapon, and evading arrest.
During a hearing before Circuit Judge Ben W. Hooper II on Tuesday, prosecutors requested an order from the court permitting the state to have the defendant examined by a second mental health professional, something which would likely be an in-patient procedure.
But defense attorney Bill Leibrock objected to the state's request, saying a doctor from East Tennessee's Cherokee Health Systems has found that Compton could support an insanity defense, a second doctor has supported those findings, and there is no need for further mental examinations of the defendant.
In a report to the court, Dr. Patricia Arena, of Cherokee Health Systems, reported that Compton suffers from depression and has "a fragmented memory" of the events of March 5, when she allegedly fired at least one shot from a handgun inside the church.
Dr. Arena found that Compton does understand the charges against her and is competent to stand trial, but that she "is unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions" and could support an insanity defense during the trial of her case.
Leibrock said a second evaluation by a doctor from Baptist Health Services supports Dr. Arena's diagnosis of depression and other physical and mental illnesses, but that doctor said he "cannot comment" on the defendant's state of mind on the night of the church shooting.
"These evaluations say what they say and there's no need for another evaluation," Leibrock said.
But assistant district attorneys general Amanda Lowe and Brownlow Marsh told the court they are suspicious of Dr. Arena's findings and asked that Compton be evaluated by a mental health professional representing the state.
"The state would hold that these findings are self-serving and convenient [for the defendant] and the state believes we are entitled to a second evaluation," Lowe told Judge Hooper.
A response filed by the state to a motion filed by Leibrock contends that Compton "was malingering in an effort to influence the evaluation."
"The state does have a right to have an evaluation by a doctor chosen by the state," Marsh told the court. "We're not asking that she be incarcerated, but these tests take time, and she would not be able to go home at night."
Leibrock strongly objected to the state's request, and Judge Hooper tentatively denied the state's motion for another mental evaluation. But he allowed prosecutors time to submit legal authority supporting their position.
Concerning the state's contention that Compton was "malingering" during her evaluation by Dr. Arena, Judge Hooper said, "This court's of the opinion that the state has to have some evidence of that, some expert testimony or something other than a suspicion.
"You don't have an automatic right to have someone evaluated," the judge added.
Although Judge Hooper denied the state's motion for another evaluation, he also overruled defense attorney Leibrock's motion to dismiss the indictment against Compton based on the doctors' findings.
The court ruled that the question of the defendant's sanity is something for a jury to decide during a trial.
Compton's trial date was set on Tuesday for June 9 and a further hearing on other questions and attorneys' motions in the case was set for May 11.
Compton is accused of firing at least one shot inside Hilltop Baptist Church during a Wednesday-evening service shortly after 7 p.m. on March 5. When the 9mm Ruger pistol was fired inside the church, the bullet hit the floor, a table, and then lodged into the pulpit at the front of the church.
The pistol's clip, reportedly containing six live rounds, was found near the gun, which still had one bullet chambered and was ready to fire.
The victims of the two alleged attempted first-degree murder counts handed down by the Cocke County Grand Jury are listed in the criminal court indictment as Michael Compton, of 1435 Mountain Ranch Road, the defendant's husband (the couple were reportedly in the process of divorce when the shooting occurred), and Cline Franklin, of 122 Brookfield Drive, who witnesses said was approaching the woman inside the church when the shot was fired.
After Compton pulled the telephone cord out of the church's wall, Michael Compton reportedly ran outside the church and his wife followed.
At that point, Janet Compton got into a 2004 Saturn VUE and headed west on Knoxville Highway. The car overturned in the Carson Springs community during a chase involving both police and sheriff's deputies.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 25 Aug 2009.
Further evaluation may be ordered in church shooting case
Author: Gilbert Soesbee
NEWPORT-Circuit Judge Ben W. Hooper II on Monday granted part of the state's motion for another mental health evaluation of a local woman who is charged in connection with a church shooting in Newport in March 2008.
Judge Hooper permitted prosecutors to designate a mental health professional to examine 54-year-old Janet Lee Compton, but instructed the state to notify the court of the person's qualifications and to give defense attorney Bill Leibrock an opportunity to object before an evaluation is performed.
Leibrock has filed a motion to dismiss the indictment against Compton based on the findings of at least two mental health professionals suggesting that the defendant could sustain a defense of insanity during a trial. Those reports were filed with the court last December.
Compton, of 152 Circle Road, is named in a five-count indictment in connection with a shooting incident inside Hilltop Baptist Church in March 2008. She is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, illegal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment involving a deadly weapon, and evading arrest.
Assistant district attorneys general Brownlow Marsh and Tonya Thornton are seeking an order from the court permitting the state to have the defendant examined by another mental health professional, something which would likely be an in-patient procedure.
"All that we're asking for is a fair shot," Thornton told Judge Hooper during Monday's hearing.
But defense attorney Leibrock has objected to the state's request, saying a doctor from East Tennessee's Cherokee Health Systems has found that Compton could support an insanity defense, a second doctor has supported those findings, and there is no need for further mental examinations of the defendant.
"She has been extensively examined, and it's our position that there is no need and that the law does not allow the state to choose a private practitioner to examine Ms. Compton, especially in light of the passage of time in this case," Leibrock said during Monday's hearing.
In January, Judge Hooper tentatively denied the state's motion for another evaluation, but he allowed prosecutors time to submit legal authority supporting their position. The judge also overruled Leibrock's motion to dismiss the indictment against Compton based on the doctors' findings.
On Monday, prosecutor Marsh cited a provision in state law which permits the court to allow the state to name a qualified mental health professional to conduct such examinations of a defendant "if the court determines it is necessary to adjudicate [the case] fairly."
In light of that provision in law, Judge Hooper permitted prosecutors to designate someone to evaluate Compton's mental condition and to notify the court of the person's qualifications. He also instructed the state to tell the court if that person could make a determination of the defendant's mental condition at the time of the crime, considering how much time has passed since the incident.
The judge will hold another hearing on October 26 to determine what further actions may be taken in the case.
Compton was arrested on March 5, 2008, and released the following May. During that time, she was evaluated by Cherokee Health Systems and a report by Dr. Patricia Arena was filed with the court in December.
Dr. Arena reported that Compton suffers from depression and has "a fragmented memory" of the events of March 5, when she allegedly fired at least one shot from a handgun inside the church.
The doctor's report says that Arena found that Compton does understand the charges against her and is competent to stand trial, but that she "is unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions" and could support an insanity defense during the trial of her case.
Leibrock said a second evaluation by a doctor from Baptist Health Services supports Dr. Arena's diagnosis of depression and other physical and mental illnesses, but that doctor said he "cannot comment" on the defendant's state of mind on the night of the church shooting.
The second evaluation, by Dr. Francis P. LeBuffe, was filed in December along with Leibrock's motion to dismiss the indictment. Dr. LeBuffe said Compton is being treated for "bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Since I did not see Ms. Compton until 4.5 months after the events of March 5, 2008, I cannot comment on her mental state that day based on personal examination," Dr. LeBuffe wrote. "However, my examinations of Ms. Compton since July 2008 and her documented history clearly indicate that she has suffered from severe and persistent mental illness for many years.
"Given her history and my examinations of the patient since July 2008,...I believe that it is quite likely that she was in a state of severe depression with psychosis and dissociative symptoms on March 5, 2008," Dr. LeBuffe continued. "This condition would certainly have severely impaired her ability to recognize the nature of her actions and her capacity to control her behavior in conformity with the requirements of law and reason."
Other reports concerning the defendant's mental condition from Cherokee Mental Health, Saint Mary's Hospital in Knoxville, and other documents have been filed with the court but have been sealed by court order from public inspection.
Compton is accused of firing at least one shot inside Hilltop Baptist Church during a Wednesday evening service shortly after 7 p.m. on March 5. When the 9mm Ruger pistol was fired inside the church, the bullet hit the floor and a table, and then lodged into the pulpit at the front of the church.
The pistol's clip, reportedly containing six live rounds, was found near the gun, which still had one bullet chambered and was ready to fire.
The victims of the two alleged attempted first-degree murder counts handed down by the Cocke County Grand Jury are listed in the criminal court indictment as Michael Compton, of 1435 Mountain Ranch Road, the defendant's husband (the couple were reportedly in the process of divorce when the shooting occurred), and Cline Franklin, of 122 Brookfield Drive, who witnesses said was approaching the woman inside the church when the shot was fired.
After Compton pulled the telephone cord out of the church's wall, Michael Compton reportedly ran outside the church and the woman followed.
At that point, Janet Compton got into a 2004 Saturn VUE and headed west on Knoxville Highway. The car overturned in the Carson Springs community during a chase involving both police and sheriff's deputies.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 17 Apr 2010.
Compton pleads guilty to church shooting; thirteenth marijuana defendant enters plea
Author: Gilbert Soesbee
A local woman entered guilty pleas this week to several charges in connection with a church shooting in Newport in March 2008.
Under the terms of a negotiated plea agreement between defense and prosecution attorneys, Janet Lee Compton, 54, of 152 Circle Road, was sentenced by Circuit Judge Ben W. Hooper II to time served in jail with the balance of a ten-year sentence to be served under supervised probation.
Compton pled guilty to two counts of attempted murder in connection with the incident inside Hilltop Baptist Church on March 5, 2008, and to charges of reckless endangerment, possession of a weapon, and evading arrest by motor vehicle.
She was sentenced to a ten-year term of incarceration, which was reduced in the plea-bargain to time served with the balance on supervised probation. She also agreed to submit to mental health treatment as needed during the probationary period and was ordered to return the handgun used in the shooting to her estranged husband, Michael Compton, of 1435 Mountain Ranch Road. Police reported that Michael Compton was the woman's target when she opened fire inside the church during a Wednesday evening service.
The plea agreement brings an end to the case, which included opinions by two mental health professionals that Compton could likely support a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity during a trial.
Defense attorney Bill Leibrock had a motion pending before Judge Hooper to dismiss the indictment against Compton based on those doctors' opinions. Prosecutors had objected to a dismissal, although the state had been pursuing its own evaluation of the defendant's mental health.
Compton is named in a five-count indictment in connection with a shooting incident inside Hilltop Baptist Church on March 5, 2008.
Compton was arrested after fleeing from the church in her vehicle, and was released the following May. During that time, she was evaluated by Cherokee Health Systems and a report by Dr. Patricia Arena was filed with the court last December.
Dr. Arena reported that Compton suffers from depression and has "a fragmented memory" of the events of March 5, when she allegedly fired at least one shot from a handgun inside the church.
The doctor's report says that Arena found that Compton does understand the charges against her and is competent to stand trial, but that she "is unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions" and could support an insanity defense during the trial of her case.
A second evaluation by a doctor from Baptist Health Services supports Dr. Arena's diagnosis of depression and other physical and mental illnesses, but that doctor said he "cannot comment" on the defendant's state of mind on the night of the church shooting.
The second evaluation, by Dr. Francis P. LeBuffe, was also filed in December. Dr. LeBuffe said Compton is being treated for "bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Since I did not see Ms. Compton until 4.5 months after the events of March 5, 2008, I cannot comment on her mental state that day based on personal examination," Dr. LeBuffe wrote. "However, my examinations of Ms. Compton since July 2008 and her documented history clearly indicate that she has suffered from severe and persistent mental illness for many years.
"Given her history and my examinations of the patient since July 2008,...I believe that it is quite likely that she was in a state of severe depression with psychosis and dissociative symptoms on March 5, 2008," Dr. LeBuffe continued. "This condition would certainly have severely impaired her ability to recognize the nature of her actions and her capacity to control her behavior in conformity with the requirements of law and reason."
Compton is accused of firing at least one shot inside Hilltop Baptist Church during a Wednesday evening service shortly after 7 p.m. on March 5, 2008. When the 9mm Ruger pistol was fired inside the church, the bullet hit the floor and a table, and then lodged into the pulpit at the front of the church.
The pistol's clip, reportedly containing six live rounds, was found near the gun, which still had one bullet chambered and was ready to fire.
The victims of the two alleged attempted murder counts handed down by the Cocke County Grand Jury are listed in the criminal court indictment as Michael Compton and Cline Franklin, of 122 Brookfield Drive, who witnesses said was approaching the woman inside the church when the shot was fired.
After Compton pulled the telephone cord out of the church's wall, Michael Compton reportedly ran outside the church and the woman followed.
At that point, Janet Compton got into a 2004 Saturn VUE and drove west on Knoxville Highway. The car overturned in the Carson Springs community during a chase involving both police and sheriff's deputies.
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Name: Ralph Teague
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 01 Jun 1951
Event Place: Cocke, Tennessee, United States
Age: 19
Birth Year (Estimated): 1932
Father's Name:
Father's Titles and Terms:
Mother's Name:
Mother's Titles and Terms:
Spouse's Name: Dovie Presnell
Spouse's Titles and Terms:
Spouse's Age: 21
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1930
Spouse's Father's Name:
Spouse's Father's Titles and Terms:
Spouse's Mother's Name:
Spouse's Mother's Titles and Terms:
Reference ID: 120
GS Film number: 1928652
Digital Folder Number: 004485967
Image Number: 00435
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Name: Jannet L Ellison
Also Known As Name:
Name Suffix:
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 09 May 1983
Event Place: Cocke, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Female
Spouse's Name: Michael R Compton
Spouse's Also Known As Name:
Spouse's Name Prefix:
Spouse's Name Suffix:
Page: 298
- [S131] Divorce Record.
Husband's Name Wife's First Name Wife's Maiden Name County Court Date of Divorce File #
COMPTON MICHAEL R JANNET L TEAGUE COCKE CIRCUIT 03-06-2009 10317
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Abt 1956 - (~ 68 years)
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