Appellate court: Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood off the torture-slaying retrials

Knoxville News Sentinel ^ | 10/25/12 | News Sentinel staff

[SmithL]

Handing down a victory for Knox County prosecutors, the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals today ruled Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood must recuse himself from presiding over retrials for three defendants convicted in the 2007 torture-slayings of a young Knox County couple.

A stay previously entered in the retrial of these cases will remain in effect until the chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court appoints a replacement judge or pending further orders of this court of the Supreme Court, Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer wrote in the ruling for the three-member panel.

"Upon that appointment, the new trial judge shall review and rule upon the thirteenth juror issues in all three of these cases in accordance with the directives of the Tennessee Supreme Court," according to the ruling.

The three-member panel said it had to consider even the possible appearance that Blackwood had become biased in handling the case, which he took over in 2011. Knox County prosecutors had argued Blackwood was no longer impartial.

[SmithL]

For more on this case, click keyword: ChristianNewsom

[SmithL]

A little good news, but still no justice for Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.

[suthener]

From the article:

“The men had been convicted of various crimes”

Yeah, whatever you do, don’t list those various crimes. What these animals did still pisses me off.

[SmithL]

Meanwhile, from Baumgartner's trial:

Portraits of ex-judge Richard Baumgartner:
'Man of many sins'; liar protecting drugs and sex

[originalbuckeye]

The extended trauma that the families of Christian and Newsom have had to endure is appalling. The torture and murder of the couple is the most heinous murder scenario that I have ever read. Justice delayed is justice denied. Get justice for those families, NOW!

[cva66snipe]

I'm glad they did what was right. Blackwood was way too deeply involved in the other aspects this case. The fact he handled Bumgartners case with the results we saw happen made a lot of persons skeptical and just down right disgusted at the court. Blackwood seemed to try every way to grant a new trial and too also be the judge. There was a lot of mistrust generated. A look by another judge no matter what his conclusion about a possible retrial will be more accepted.

[Dawgreg]

I thought I’d never see anything close to the Dean Corll sex-torture murders of young boys in a Houston neighborhood in the early 70’s but this case is right up there with it. Demonic vermin living in society is what I call those who committed these acts.....in both cases. I pray for the families of Channon and Chris and pray for TRUE justice....sooner rather than later. The families in the Houston case are still hurting to this day. So tragic.....:(