TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Jan 21, 2025

Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Camille McMullen last week overturned the second-degree murder conviction of William Britton. The Tennessean reports that McMullen overturned Britton's conviction and remanded the case back to a Davidson County courtroom for a new trial after she found evidence — rap lyrics and screen shots of music videos — presented during the trial were highly prejudicial. Britton performed as a rapper under the name Lil Will. Prosecutors in the 2022 case used Britton's rap lyrics as proof of his state of mind, arguing that the 2020 killing of Kendall Ostine was premeditated. The appeal was part of oral arguments during the TBA's Court of Criminal Appeals Boot Camp in October.