 |
|
|
WZTV FOX 17 - Top Stories
45-year-old Stephen Morris is on trial for allegedly abusing his grandfather but says the indictment that led him here should never have been handed down.
"It's not just me that this is happening to," Morris said. "There's lot of them, you said it yourself 800 or 900 cases that half of them should have never hit the court system anyway."
Morris' case is one of almost 900 where indictments were handed down by a Davidson County grand jury and foreman Eugene Grayer between July and September of 2011.
Last month it was revealed Grayer had a felony conviction in 1978, which made him ineligible to serve.
Morris said that makes the indictments tainted.
"I do believe that some cases were made to stick and were indicted and some of them weren't and they didn't get indicted," Morris said.
Some 800 cases stemming from those indictments have already been resolved. A representative from the district attorney's office says there are no plans to reopen them, and says they don't anticipate any problems resolving the more than 80 cases that are still pending.
Prosecutors can either go to a new grand jury and ask for a new indictment or get what's called a criminal information which routes cases directly to trial.
Defense attorney Worrick Robinson says in 20 years practicing law, he's never seen anything like this.
"I believe the district attorney's office has made the decision that the original indictments are defective and so they're going to proceed and move forward," Robinson said. "They will prosecute every case."
But Morris says, win or lose, he won't stop at the end of his criminal trial.
"We'll just say it involves going across the street to the civil court afterward," Morris said.
The district attorney's office says the almost 90 pending felony cases range from drug charges and sex crimes to homicides.
Grayer was personally selected as the grand jury foreman by judge Monte Watkins. Watkins' office says the judge can t comment on anything that would affect pending cases.
"It's not just me that this is happening to," Morris said. "There's lot of them, you said it yourself 800 or 900 cases that half of them should have never hit the court system anyway."
Morris' case is one of almost 900 where indictments were handed down by a Davidson County grand jury and foreman Eugene Grayer between July and September of 2011.
Last month it was revealed Grayer had a felony conviction in 1978, which made him ineligible to serve.
Morris said that makes the indictments tainted.
"I do believe that some cases were made to stick and were indicted and some of them weren't and they didn't get indicted," Morris said.
Some 800 cases stemming from those indictments have already been resolved. A representative from the district attorney's office says there are no plans to reopen them, and says they don't anticipate any problems resolving the more than 80 cases that are still pending.
Prosecutors can either go to a new grand jury and ask for a new indictment or get what's called a criminal information which routes cases directly to trial.
Defense attorney Worrick Robinson says in 20 years practicing law, he's never seen anything like this.
"I believe the district attorney's office has made the decision that the original indictments are defective and so they're going to proceed and move forward," Robinson said. "They will prosecute every case."
But Morris says, win or lose, he won't stop at the end of his criminal trial.
"We'll just say it involves going across the street to the civil court afterward," Morris said.
The district attorney's office says the almost 90 pending felony cases range from drug charges and sex crimes to homicides.
Grayer was personally selected as the grand jury foreman by judge Monte Watkins. Watkins' office says the judge can t comment on anything that would affect pending cases.
Monday, February 11 2013, 10:12 PM CST
Tennessee News
2 appellate court judges are stepping down
May 24, 2013 21:29 GMT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Two Tennessee appellate court judges have notified Gov. Bill Haslam that they will not run for another term on the bench in the August 2014 retention election.
Patricia J. Cottrell, a judge on the Court of Appeals, and Joseph M. Tipton, who sits on the Court of Criminal Appeals bench, will both leave after September of next year.
The announcements come after the state legislature left Tennessee without a way to replace judges who step down or die when a commission expires at the end of next month.
Members of the soon-to-be-defunct Judicial Nominating Commission will make recommendations for replacements to give to Haslam before the panel expires. Haslam will appoint the replacements from those recommendations.
News Stories
Local Headlines
2 appellate court judges are stepping down
Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert at country fest
Trial wraps up in international custody battle
County to ponder school building use by suburbs
DA: Victims shot after drugs handed over
Hungry TennCare eating more of state budget
Court rules against man who lost handgun permit
Solar panels that obscure school might be moved
 |
|
|
Newsmax Headlines
 |
|
|
Business News
US durable goods orders rise 3.3 percent in April
WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. orders for long-lasting manufactured goods rebounded in April, buoyed by more demand for military and civilian aircraft and an increase in business investment.
Consumer Info
BC-US--Dow Record-Three Personal Stories, 1st Ld-Writethru,1173
Dow Record: Three tales of ups, downs and changes
AP Photo FX102, FX103
Eds: With BC-US--Dow Record. Adds photos.
By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- When the Dow first crossed 14,000, investors were overjoyed. ...
Science/Tech News
IN THE NEWS: RESTAURANT FLAP LEADS TO INTERNET MELTDOWN
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- It isn't exactly to curry favor with your restaurant customers -- even if your specialty isn't curry.
Get This
BEST BEACH
EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) -- Dr.
IE6 Float Fix
