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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Former Shadle Park teacher breaks court order, heads to jail

From staff reports
A former Shadle Park High School teacher is in jail after he subscribed to an online music playlist created by the female student with whom he is accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship. Ryan Murphy, 44, who is awaiting trial on charges that he made inappropriate sexual advances on the teenager between 2009 and 2012, had been ordered in March to have no contact with her. But, according to court documents, Murphy twice subscribed to online social media accounts belonging to the victim, first following her on Nike+ in May and then to her Spotify account last month. In an interview with police, Murphy reportedly confirmed he was responsible for the online requests. Prosecutors argued Wednesday the online subscriptions violated a no-contact order in place until Murphy’s trial begins, tentatively scheduled for November. A Spokane Superior Court judge agreed, ordering the former teacher held at the Spokane County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond. The alleged sexual contact between Murphy and the student began when she was 15 years old. Murphy told her he was having problems at home with his wife and children, according to court documents. The two had sex after Murphy sent repeated text messages, totaling in the hundreds weekly, to the girl’s phone, who was transferred to Murphy’s English class at his insistence. The girl told police she felt pressured into having sex with Murphy. Murphy resigned from the school in August 2012.