Federal Court

Haynes gets no jail time in wreck (05/24/12)
A Murfreesboro man will spend no time in jail for his role in an accident that claimed the life of his wife in 2010. John David Haynes, 51, will spend a year on judicial diversion -- a probation period ending May 17, 2013 -- after being sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell last week for reckless endangerment, a Class A Misdemeanor...

Grand jury indicts man for escape attempt (05/22/12)
A man who allegedly made a run for it earlier this month has been indicted on an escape charge by Bedford County's grand jury. A direct indictment was made on Monday against Joe Lee Carvel, 60, who had appeared on May 4 in Circuit Court on charges of aggravated assault...

Judge: Property dispute 'frivolous' (05/17/12)
A state court has called an appeal involving an ongoing property line dispute "frivolous," ordering a Bedford County woman to pay damages and legal fees to her neighbors. Appeals Court Judge Andy D. Bennett ordered Chancellor J.B. Cox to determine appropriate damages related to attorney fees and expenses incurred by the neighbors of Betty Jean Langford...

McConnell changes plea in HPA case (05/10/12)
A Tennessee Walking Horse trainer charged with violations of the Horse Protection Act (HPA) announced Tuesday his intention to plead guilty to one of the charges. In a notice filed in federal court, Jackie L. McConnell, 60, stated he intends to plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy to violate the HPA...

Escape try cut short (05/04/12)
Swift action by officers on Thursday cut short an escape attempt at the Bedford County Courthouse. Joe Lee Carvel, 60, was appearing in Circuit Court on charges of aggravated assault, and had just been taken into custody on the orders of Judge Lee Russell for not paying a $200 administrative fee to pay for his court appointed attorney...

Leering suspect pleads 'no contest' (05/02/12)
As the victim's family watched, a registered sex offender made a no contest plea to charges of entering a public rest room and leering at a 13-year-old girl. But the girl's mother says she will still work toward getting the laws toughened so that others might not have to go through what her child experienced...

County's response to lawsuit requested (05/01/12)
Attorneys representing four deputies suing over unpaid overtime claim that Bedford County has not responded to a number of discovery requests. Sheriff Randall Boyce and the county were sued last August by David Sakich, Kevin Holton, Scott Jones, Todd Hammond "and others similarly situated" under the Fair Labor Standards Act, claiming they were denied overtime and straight time compensation and were worked "off the clock," also alleging they were retaliated against for exposing the issue...

Helping hands to receive a hand (05/01/12)
Some of the area's most essential volunteers will be honored Wednesday -- CASA Works, Inc. is hosting a noon luncheon at Fair Haven Baptist Church. Among those to be celebrated are the volunteers and supporters of the organization which serves the abused and neglected children in the juvenile courts of Bedford, Coffee and Franklin counties...

E-911 sues for return of $76,000 (04/26/12)
The Bedford County Emergency Communication District filed a federal lawsuit against BellSouth (now known as AT&T) last week, demanding the recovery of $76,000 in service charges. The suit claims the phone company has billed the ECD "far in excess" of the number of phone lines for which BellSouth reported and remitted 911 charges...

Drug dealer loses second appeal try (04/25/12)
A man serving a 22-year sentence for selling drugs has lost his second petition for relief on appeal. Charles E. Orange claimed that Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler erred by summarily dismissing his first petition without appointing an attorney or giving him an opportunity to amend his petition...

Digging in (04/22/12)
Members of the Walmart Distribution Center's Volunteer Always Pays program got busy Saturday morning to spruce up Purdy Court Park as part of an "Earth Day Celebration" held by the city's parks and recreation department. Department director Sylvia Pinson expects the playground to be ready by June 1, and the park will be set for rededication sometime in August.

Hansen won't appear in court (04/18/12)
A former Shelbyville woman who sent her young adopted son back to Russia two years ago won't be appearing in court, her mother told the T-G. Nancy Hansen's daughter, Torry Hansen, sent Artyom Savaliev back alone on a plane to Moscow, claiming he was violent...

Three face burglary charges (04/17/12)
Three men accused of a nearly year-long crime spree in Bedford County and nearby areas were indicted Monday by the county's grand jury. Joey William Ostrander, 19, and Austin Lawrence Tomes, 19, both of Tullahoma, and Christopher Alan Perry, 18, of Oakwood Place, Shelbyville were each charged with one count of aggravated burglary...

A Purdy pretty purpose (04/12/12)
Fun, free activities are coming up at Purdy Court Park to get that area into shape for a planned August opening. An "Earth Day Celebration" is set for Saturday, April 21 from 9 a.m. until noon at the site off Colloredo Boulevard, according to Shelbyville parks and recreation director Sylvia Pinson, with plenty of free events for all ages...

7 merchants plead guilty to lesser gambling charge (04/11/12)
Nearly a year after Shelbyville police raided several businesses on gambling charges, seven local merchants made pleas in the case to lesser counts. An agreed order was attached to guilty pleas made Tuesday by Naim Abulaban, 21, of Murfreesboro, Dipakbhai Bhagat, 50, Sejal Chaudhari, 26, Brad Jones, 36, Dharmendra Patel, 40, Rameshbhain Patel, 48, and Narendra Patel, 52, all of Shelbyville...

Tight handcuffs left permanent damage: Inmate (04/03/12)
A man serving 12 years in prison on drug charges is suing Shelbyville's police department and one of its officers for nearly a quarter of a million dollars in damages and free medical care for life, claiming his handcuffs were put on too tight. George Scott Mason filed a civil action against the Shelbyville police department and officer Tracey Nelson in Bedford County Circuit Court in February, which was transferred to the federal court level last week...

Suspect, sheriff debate legality of home search (04/03/12)
A man recently arrested on drug charges has filed a federal lawsuit against the county mayor, sheriff and officers claiming his home was searched without a warrant and that he was assaulted. But an arrest report by a detective involved in the litigation tells a much different story than the plaintiff does once several details are added to the tale...

No time to play: Celebration Station gets new materials (03/23/12)
Fun times at one of the playgrounds in Shelbyville's parks will be curtailed next week so that new federal mandates can be implemented. In January, parks and recreation director Sylvia Pinson informed the city council that the playground surface at Celebration Station inside H.V. Griffin Park will be redone to comply with new federal safety standards, while other locations will have their play fixtures removed...

Valentine's Day killer seeks relief (03/20/12)
A Bedford County woman found guilty of the 2007 shooting death of a Shelbyville auto salesman will return in July for a post conviction hearing. Ashley Mai Cook made a brief appearance in court Monday, and will come back on July 6 for a hearing on post-conviction relief...

Two indicted by county grand jury (03/20/12)
Only two people were indicted by Bedford County's grand jury Monday, but there should be many more facing the judge next month. Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler announced that a large number of individuals were bound over to the grand jury by General Sessions Judge Charles Rich on Thursday, but as a result, there wasn't enough time to properly draw up the indictments for the 12-member panel...

Low-speed pursuit results in probation (03/20/12)
A Shelbyville woman received three years probation for a chase that was neither high speed nor very long, with all other charges dismissed. Regina Michelle Johnson was originally charged in Feburary 2011 with evading arrest, possession of a schedule II drug and two counts of reckless endangerment. However, prosecutors admitted that the chase in question "wasn't high speed" and lasted less than a mile...

May trial set for McConnell, co-defendants (03/18/12)
A May trial date has been set for a prominent walking horse trainer and three others accused in a horse soring conspiracy. Jackie McConnell, 60, along with Jeff Dockery, 56; John Mays, 47; and Joseph Abernathy, 29, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William B. Carter in Chattanooga for arraignment and to hear their conditions for bond...

Boisseau case put off until May (03/18/12)
The case against a man accused of attempted murder and arson last summer has been delayed until May, while his attorney says that the state's case is "falling apart." Roger Eugene Boisseau, 37, had originally been set for a preliminary hearing Thursday on charges of attempted first degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault and one count each of aggravated domestic assault, attempted arson, and aggravated vandalism...

Judge denies appeal in probation case (03/15/12)
A Bedford County man sent away for 11 years on a probation violation has lost his appeal. In 2005, Alex C. Nolan was found guilty of possession of cocaine with the intent to sell when he received the prison term, but was allowed by the Department of Correction to participate in the state's boot camp program...

Haynes guilty of reckless endangerment (03/13/12)
A Bedford County jury returned a verdict of reckless endangerment late Friday against a Murfreesboro man charged in the death of his wife. Following a trial that lasted most of the week, John David Haynes, 51, was found guilty of the lesser charge after standing trial for vehicular homicide in the death of his wife, Pamela Haynes, 49, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in June 2010...

'Doctor shopping' ends with conviction (03/09/12)
A Bedford County man has been sentenced for TennCare "doctor shopping" in two counties and will lose TennCare benefits as a result of his conviction. Tracy B. White, 40, pleaded guilty to three felony counts in two separate counties for using TennCare to obtain a controlled substance by "doctor shopping," the Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced...

Hansen must pay: Judge (03/08/12)
LYNCHBURG -- Torry Hansen has lost the child support lawsuit filed against her after refusing to appear in person. Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell granted a motion for default judgment against the former Shelbyville resident, who had been ordered to appear in Lynchburg on Wednesday morning...

Vehicular homicide trial underway (03/07/12)
Testimony got underway Tuesday in Circuit Court against a Murfreesboro man charged with vehicular homicide. John David Haynes, 51, faces the charge, which stems from a June 2010 motorcycle accident in which his wife, Pamela Haynes, 49, was killed on State Route 82 at a sharp curve just east of the Bell Buckle town limits...

Robertson trial moved to early 2013 (03/01/12)
A federal judge has agreed to continue a trial in a class action suit against the county, while denying a request for summary judgment in the case. U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice granted a motion to extend the trial date for Ricky Robertson, who has been suing Bedford County since late 2010 over its bail bonding system and also claims he was severely beaten at the jail. The trial had been set for May 22, but it will not be held until early 2013...

Soring leader sentenced to jail, must submit article (02/28/12)
The ringleader of a local spotted saddle horse soring conspiracy received a sentence of one year and one day in jail from a federal judge Monday, and must educate the public about the problem. Barney Davis, 38, who has been in custody since July of last year, heard his punishment from U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice. Davis must also pay a $4,000 fine, and will then serve three years supervised release...

Judge to Hansen: Appear (02/24/12)
A former Shelbyville resident has been ordered to appear in person on March 7 in Lynchburg in the continuing case surrounding an international adoption issue. Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell signed an order Thursday morning ordering Torry Hansen to appear at the Moore County Courthouse at 9 a.m. regarding her request for a court-appointed attorney...

T-G EXCLUSIVE: Nancy Hansen speaks out on Russian adoption case (02/23/12)
The family of a woman who sent her adopted son back to Russia in 2010 is speaking out, claiming they never wanted the press barred from court proceedings -- and blasting the attorney they fired earlier this month. In April 2010, former Shelbyville resident Torry Hansen sent her adopted Russian son back to Moscow alone on a plane with a note saying he was violent, had psychological problems and that she didn't want him anymore...

Torry Hansen doesn't appear for deposition (02/23/12)
A judge will decide today whether to charge Torry Hansen with contempt of court for refusing to appear Monday for a deposition in a suit over her abandonment of a Russian boy she adopted. Three weeks ago, Hansen was ordered by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell to be deposed in the ongoing lawsuit filed against her by two adoption agencies for child support and breach of contract...

Moore commissioner bound to grand jury (02/22/12)
A Moore County commissioner accused of selling drugs near a Bedford County school has been bound over to the next session of the grand jury, also resigning his position Monday night. William Karl Pyrdom Sr., 44, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Feb. 10. His case will be presented to the Bedford County grand jury on March 19...

Dismissal of trustee suit asked (02/21/12)
Bedford County and its trustee have filed a motion for summary judgment to end a federal suit brought by a former county employee. In late 2010, Cynthia L. Ray filed a suit against the county and trustee Tonya Davis, claiming she had been fired for openly supporting Davis' opponent during that year's election...

Hansen's lawyer asks to step aside (02/17/12)
The attorney for a former Shelbyville resident who abandoned her adopted son from Russia has asked to withdraw from representing her in an ongoing lawsuit. On Wednesday, Sandra L.M. Smith filed a motion to withdraw as counsel for Torry Hansen, stating that the woman "terminated council's [sic] legal services" on Feb. 8...

Freeman accepts 13-year plea bargain (02/15/12)
A man who tried to run over two Bedford County deputies last year agreed to a plea Monday resulting in a 13-year prison sentence. Jerry Stanton Freeman, 45, will serve five years each for two counts of aggravated assault, and a three-year term on drug charges, resulting in the 13 year sentence. Freeman will have to serve 30 percent of the sentence before he is eligible for parole...

Tracy joins effort against insurance demand (02/15/12)
State Sen. Jim Tracy of Shelbyville was among 77 lawmakers in Tennessee and 400 state legislators nationwide who filed an amicus, or "friend of the court," brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to reject the authority of Congress to enforce the individual mandate of the health care reform passed by President Obama...

Kidnapping suspect will be evaluated (02/14/12)
A Shelbyville man will undergo a mental evaluation before making his next appearance in court on kidnapping and other charges. Jimmy Ray Massey, 38, of Highway 64 East was just one of three people indicted by the Bedford County grand jury on Monday...

Kibble faces 5 years for tire tool attack (02/14/12)
A Shelbyville man has been sentenced to five years in prison for running his ex-girlfriend off the road and attacking her with a tire iron. In December, Lavario Devon Kibble, 31, of Barksdale Lane, agreed to a sentence of five years at 30 percent before Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell, which is the term he received...

Court denies appeal for 1997 convictions (02/14/12)
A state court has denied an appeal from a Bedford County man who pleaded guilty to charges 14 years ago. Michael Smythe had appealed a summary dismissal by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell of a petition for post-conviction relief for convictions in 1997...

Appeals court agrees with 17-year sentence (02/10/12)
Tennessee's appeals court says a local judge made no mistake in sentencing a Bedford County man to 17 years in prison for selling crack. Larry Thomas Johnson had appealed his guilty-pleaded convictions for the sale of 0.5 grams or more of cocaine and possession with the intent to sell...

Pyrdom drug case remains on hold (02/08/12)
It's not clear when a Moore County commissioner accused of selling drugs near a Bedford County school will have his case heard. William Karl Pyrdom Sr., 44, had been scheduled to make a fifth appearance in General Sessions Court on Jan. 31 for charges of sale of a schedule II drug...

City to consider raising court costs (02/03/12)
Costs for those who appear in city court may be going up by $15. Shelbyville's city council will consider an ordinance next Thursday to increase the amount of court costs, when paid as cash, to $105 instead of the $90 currently paid. The proposed hike is to cover the required amount to be sent directly to the state as litigation tax...

Court dates set for crime spree suspects (01/27/12)
Three men accused of a nearly year-long crime spree in Bedford County and other communities made their first court appearances on Wednesday. l Joey William Ostrander, 19, of Bragg Circle, Tullahoma, is charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, five counts of theft of property under $10,000 and five counts of attempted aggravated burglary. He is being held under $252,000 bond at the Bedford County jail. He will make his next appearance in court on March 15...

View from the bench: crowded courtroom (01/26/12)
Bedford County's largest courtroom was once again filled to capacity Wednesday as a 108-page docket was before General Sessions Judge Charles Rich. Shelbyville Fire Marshal Brian Nicholson determined that the chambers have an occupancy load of 218, and court officers ordered those without business before the judge to wait outside. Yet, after this photo was taken, more defendants entered and took every available seat, also lining the walls. It took Rich over an hour to read the docket. Nicholson said last month that "dangerous overcrowding" had taken place in a small downstairs courtroom, prompting an evaluation of how many people can safely occupy court chambers. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

Hansen support suit set for March (01/24/12)
March trial dates have been set for a former Shelbyville woman who sent her adopted Russian son back to Moscow alone on a plane with a note stating she didn't want him anymore. Torry Hansen is facing a lawsuit for child support that could require her to publicly answer questions about her actions. A trial is set to begin March 27 in Bedford County Circuit Court, with a hearing set in the case on Feb. 1...

Soring sentence includes order to write article for T-G (01/24/12)
Writing a newspaper article about his crimes is part of the punishment given to one of four people who pleaded guilty last year to soring horses. Paul Blackburn, 36, of Shelbyville received a year of probation and a $1,000 fine for conspiracy to violate the Horse Protection Act and substantive violations of the act....

Judgment against Americare overturned (01/20/12)
The Tennessee Court of Appeals has overturned a $5 million judgment against the parent company of a local assisted living facility in a wrongful death suit. In April 2010, a Bedford County jury returned a verdict of more than $5.4 million against Americare Systems Inc, and Shelbyville Residential LLC, which does business as Celebration Way, and two nurses -- Dottie Hunt and Mary Ann Steelman...

Hearing date for Boisseau case reset (01/20/12)
A preliminary hearing has been reset for March 15 for a man accused of attempted murder and arson last summer. Roger Eugene Boisseau, 37, will appear on that date before General Sessions Judge Charles Rich, where he will decide if there is enough evidence to send the case to the Bedford County grand jury...

Related subjects

Home