by Lee Davis

Judge Kerry Blackwood

The Tennessee Supreme Court in a rather unusual move has ruled that Judge Baumgartner's terrible misconduct outside the courtroom does not mean that a new trial is absolutely required in the first degree murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsome. 


The case will now go back to Knox County trial court and Judge Kerry Blackwood will have to decide if a retrial is necessary following the legal guidelines set forth below by the TN Supreme Court.  Judge Blackwood made it quite clear during the earlier hearing that egregious conduct of Judge Baumgartner during trial required a retrial.


STATE OF TENNESSEE v. LETALVIS COBBINS, L E MARICUSDAVIDSON and GEORGE THOMAS