A prisoner at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville was indicted for sending threatening letters to the governor that falsely claimed to contain anthrax, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release today that Brandon Frady of Johnson City sent out six threatening letters, four containing white powder he claimed was anthrax. Prosecutors said the letters disrupted government operations, causing the evacuation of the offices of the Nashville district attorney’s office and nearby buildings.

Four lawmakers who had been listed as co-sponsors of House Bill 100, the Fairness in Ticketing Act, have pulled their support from the measure, the Tennessean reports. Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt. Juliet, Rep. Bill Sanderson, R-Kenton, Rep. Jim Coley, R-Bartlett, and David Hawk, R-Greenville, have removed their names from among the bill’s 26 co-sponsors. Rep. Lynn said in a release, “I think many of us signed on as sponsors before realizing what it would do to citizens’ ownership rights or its negative impact on small business. In my case, I have not only decided to be removed as a sponsor, but to become a vocal opponent.” The act seeks to impose stricter regulations on event ticketing practices and the ticket resale market.

Vanderbilt University has named Audrey Anderson as its general counsel, the Nashville Post reports. Formerly deputy general counsel of the Department of Homeland Security, Anderson will replace David Williams who served as the university’s general counsel since 2000 before becoming the permanent athletics director in mid 2012. Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Northwestern and her law degree from the University of Michigan. “I am deeply honored to have this opportunity to serve Vanderbilt and am excited to join the leadership team that is working on so many important initiatives,” she said.

A Massachusetts woman has sued Federal Express for mistakenly sending her a package containing seven pounds of marijuana, then giving her address to the intended recipients, who later came to her home to retrieve the package. The woman told the men she did not have it and called the police. Although an arrest was made, the woman is worried about retribution. The suit claims that by disclosing her address, Memphis-based FedEx violated her privacy and put her and her children in danger. FedEx said it does not comment on pending lawsuits. The Commercial Appeal has the story. 

The Obama Administration filed a friend-of-the-court brief Thursday evening unequivocally calling on the Supreme Court justices to strike down California’s Proposition 8 ballot measure banning gay marriage. It marks the first time a U.S. president has urged the high court to expand the right of gays and lesbians to wed. The brief is not legally binding, but the Commercial Appeal reports that the government’s opinion could carry weight with the Supreme Court when it hears oral arguments on Prop 8 in late March.

State Rep. Brenda Gilmore uses an opinion piece in the Tennessean to blast Republicans in the General Assembly for introducing legislation to do away with affirmative action in Tennessee colleges and universities. In the article, Gilmore says that it is too soon to prohibit schools from considering factors of race, gender or ethnicity when it comes to admissions, faculty hiring or contracting since race and gender bias still exists in our society.

The Hamilton County Commission is taking applications to fill the Juvenile Court judge vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Suzanne Bailey. The commission will hold public interviews on April 3 at 1 p.m., with additional interviews scheduled for April 4 if necessary. So far, Juvenile Magistrate Troy McDougal and attorneys Curtis Bowe, Rob Filyaw and Ron Powers have expressed interest the Chattanoogan reports.

Memphis attorney Ralph Hold died Sunday (Feb. 24) at the age of 91. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was a practicing attorney in Memphis for over 40 years. Funeral services were held Tuesday. The family requests any memorials be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Holt was a member of the Tennessee and Memphis Bar Associations. The family requests that any memorials be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

U.S. District Judge Todd Campbell dismissed three lawsuits that accused federal agencies of negligence during the 2010 Nashville flood, ruling that the government has legal immunity under a 1928 federal flood control law. The Tennessean reports that Gaylord Entertainment Co. (now Ryman Hospitality Properties), Gibson Guitar, Nissan North America and several other companies sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Weather Service last year for acting negligently and inadequately communicating with each other before and during the storm. The government sought to have the suits dismissed, asserting that federal agencies are legally protected when they make discretionary decisions based on public policy considerations.

House Bill 118 passed the Tennessee House of Representatives on a 72-22 vote this morning. The bill would allow the nearly 400,000 Tennesseans with handgun carry permits to carry their weapons in their cars anywhere they go, including employer’s parking lots. The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, now heads to Gov. Bill Haslam’s desk. The Tennessean has the story.