The petitioner, Tony Fulton Wells, was initially charged with first degree (premeditated) murder, and he later pled guilty to second degree murder, a Class A felony. He filed a petition for post-conviction relief, which was denied. On appeal, he argues that his guilty plea was not knowing and voluntary because it was coerced.

The appellant, Michael Lee Priest, pled guilty in the Sequatchie County Circuit Court to robbery in case number 2013CR84 and received a four-year sentence with the manner of service to be determined by the trial court. As a result of his guilty plea, the trial court revoked a four-year sentence of probation for aggravated assault in case number 2012CR136. After a sentencing hearing, the trial court ordered that the appellant serve both sentences in confinement.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating if Gatlinburg Police Detective Rodney Burns committed perjury during his testimony in the Ooltewah student rape case. On Monday, Burns testified in Hamilton County Juvenile Court that the attack on the high school freshman was assault, not rape. He described the incident as “something stupid kids do." Read more from the Times Free Press. 

Apple will fight a federal magistrate’s order to hack its users in connection with the investigation of the San Bernardino shootings, the Associated Press reports. CEO Tim Cook argues that the move would “undermine encryption by creating a backdoor that could potentially be used on other future devices.” A magistrate judge ruled Apple must help the Justice Department break into an encrypted iPhone belonging to one of the shooters in the December attack.

The New York Times asserts that the recent death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia highlights the Republican-led Senate’s refusal to sign off on judicial nominees for vacancies on 12 regional federal courts of appeals. Traditionally, Senate members sign off on nominees in their home states prior to nomination by the president. The author says the move is “payback” for a 2013 decision by Democrats to alter Senate rules and eliminate the ability of lawmakers in the minority to block confirmation votes with a filibuster. 

Two judges have denied motions filed by plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit filed against the University of Tennessee in an attempt to delay the three-day discipline hearing scheduled to begin today, The Knoxville News Sentinel reports. The plaintiffs filed a motion last Friday to stop a university hearing for plaintiff "Jane Doe III" from the federal lawsuit and her alleged assailant, "John Doe II," using a discipline process called the Tennessee Uniform Administrative Procedure Act. Jane Doe III is the only plaintiff of the six anonymous women who filed who did not accuse a student/athlete of sexual assault. The plaintiffs filed the motion again on Tuesday. 

Volunteers are still needed for the 2016 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition March 18-19 in Nashville. Specifically, judges are needed to preside over trial rounds, as well as law students or legal staff to serve as bailiffs. A volunteer form is available online. Contact TBA staff coordinator Katharine Heriges, (615) 383-7421, for more information.

The state Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee yesterday approved $264,000 requested by Tennessee Comptroller Justin Wilson for hiring additional employees to clear the backlog of open records requests. Last month, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey said the number of pending requests is around 1,000. “I think this office provides a great form of transparency for our state government,” Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, said. Read more from The Tennessean. 

Rep. Jeremy Durham is requesting that Attorney General Herbert Slatery remove himself from an ongoing investigation into sexual harassment allegations against the Franklin Republican, The Williamson Herald reports. Durham says he questions the legality of the appointed committee handing over the investigation to Slatery. The Tennessean reports Slatery has requested that Durham turn over his electronic devices, including his state-issued iPad, and personal email accounts in the investigation. Durham says he will not comply with all of Slatery’s requests until speaking with an attorney. The comments from Durham are the first following his two-week leave of absence from the legislature to seek “pastoral and professional counseling." 

The Jackson Sun reports 30 Dyer County eighth-grade students attended Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Middle Section proceedings Tuesday at Union University. Along with hearing appeals cases, students ate lunch with the judges and were able to ask questions about law, crimes and law school. “Judge (Everett) Williams said that maybe one percent of the people get to see an appellate argument,” said Gregory Jordan, professor of business and law at Union University.