Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Knoxville Horror: Tennessee Attorney General Asks State Supreme Court to Allow Appeal of Judge Blackwood’s Decision

By David in TN

The Tennessee Attorney General is asking the state Supreme Court to block retrials in cases presided over by disgraced Judge Richard Baumgartner

In particular, Attorney General Bob Cooper wants the state Supreme Court to grant an appeal of Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood's decision to overturn the Knoxville Horror convictions in the January 2007 torture-murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.

Recently the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals rejected by 2-1 an appeal. The retrial of the "alleged" ringleader, Lemaricus Davidson, is scheduled in a few weeks.

Judge Blackwood called off a hearing this week on pretrial motions in the cases of Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, and George Thomas, and instead will only decide issues relating to Vanessa Coleman. This suggests he may delay Davidson's retrial until the Court rules on whether to allow an appeal. Knox County District Attorney General Randy Nichols did not challenge the overturn of Coleman's conviction.

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