Bristol lawyer Myers Newton Massengill died Jan. 19 at the age of 84. A 1964 graduate of the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law, Massengill practiced law for over 55 years. He was active in several legal and civic organizations, including serving as president of the Bristol Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association for Northeast Tennessee and Rocky Mount Historic Association. He also previously served as chair of the Salvation Army Board of Bristol and as a board member of the United Way of Bristol. A funeral service will be held on Jan. 31 at 1 p.m. EST at State Street United Methodist Church. Visitation will take place at the church before the service from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Memorial contributions may be sent to the church at 650 Valley Dr., Bristol, VA 24201 or the Salvation Army of Bristol, 137 M.L.K. Blvd., Bristol, TN 37620.

The Petitioner, Robert Leroy Littleton, III, appeals from the post-conviction court’s summary dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief on the basis that it was untimely filed. Primarily, he argues that his petition was timely because it was filed during the “grace period” within which he had the opportunity to seek a writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court. He also alleges tolling exceptions to the limitations period based upon (1) his actual innocence and (2) attorney misconduct. After review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

In this interlocutory appeal, the State asks this court to review the trial court’s order granting Defendant’s motion for new trial. After reviewing the entire record, the briefs and oral arguments of the parties, and the applicable law, we reverse the trial court’s order.

Courts across parts of Tennessee closed and adjusted operations this week because of severe winter weather, prompting deadline extensions and emergency measures, while federal disaster assistance was approved statewide. In Davidson County, the Metropolitan Historic Courthouse and the Justice A.A. Birch Courthouse were closed Monday and Tuesday, and all deadlines for matters pending in the 20th Judicial District have been extended by two days due to many practitioners and litigants lacking power or internet access. It is discretionary for each judge to determine how this impacts their hearing and other court schedules. According to the Daily Memphian, in Shelby County, circuit, general sessions, criminal, probate and civil courts, including the clerk’s office, were closed today, with the clerk’s 24-hour bail office remaining open. Juvenile Court canceled most dockets and held select hearings virtually. Staff worked remotely, and hearings were reset to next available docket date if families could not attend virtually. Additionally, President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration on Saturday authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide disaster assistance in all 95 Tennessee counties, including 75% federally funded emergency protective measures, with Mary Hernandez Marrero named federal coordinating officer for the response.

Cade Cothren, the former chief of staff to ex-Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada who was charged, convicted and later pardoned by President Donald Trump in a federal fraud and bribery case, told the Nashville Post on Tuesday that he intends to seek the House District 71 seat. The seat is currently held by Rep. Kip Capley, R-Summertown. Cothren and Casada were previously charged with federal crimes and went to trial in 2025. “I am seriously considering a run for state representative because our government has been taken over by insiders who protect themselves and punish anyone who refuses to fall in line,” Cothren told the publication, adding that he has pulled a petition related to the effort. The Tennessean reports that the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance fined Cothren $80,000 last week for eight violations tied to his Faith Family Freedom Fund political action committee, saying he misled the public and violated campaign finance rules. Cothren must pay the penalty by March 10 or he will be barred from running for office. 

The State appeals the Knox County Criminal Court’s order dismissing the indictment against Defendant, Joshua Morris, charging him with driving under the influence (“DUI”). The State contends that the criminal court erred in concluding that under the doctrine of collateral estoppel, the State was precluded from relitigating the issue of probable cause that Defendant was driving under the influence in relation to his DUI charge after a circuit court determined that probable cause was not established in adjudicating Defendant’s implied consent violation charge. We conclude that the criminal court erred in finding that the doctrine of collateral estoppel applied and in dismissing the indictment. Accordingly, we reverse the criminal court’s dismissal of the indictment, reinstate the indictment, and remand to the criminal court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

A Knox County jury convicted the Petitioner, Jacquiz McBee, of first-degree murder, and the trial court sentenced him to life in prison to be served consecutively to his prior threeyear sentence for aggravated assault. The Petitioner appealed his conviction and sentence, and this court affirmed both. State v. McBee, No. E2021-01048-CCA-R3-CD, 2022 WL 16833562, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App. Nov. 9, 2022), perm. app. denied (Tenn. Mar. 9, 2023). The Petitioner filed a petition pursuant to the Post-Conviction DNA Analysis Act asking that evidence in his case be tested for DNA and undergo fingerprint analysis. The postconviction court summarily dismissed the petition. The Petitioner appeals, maintaining that the trial court abused its discretion when it denied his petition for fingerprint and DNA analysis of evidence in his case. After review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s judgment.

In 2015, a Knox County jury convicted the Petitioner, Jabriel Linzy, of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. The trial court sentenced him to life in prison for the first degree murder conviction, fifteen years for the attempted first degree murder conviction, and six years for the conviction of employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. The trial court ordered that the two shorter sentences be served consecutively to each other but concurrently with the life sentence. The Petitioner appealed his convictions, and this court affirmed. State v. Linzy, No. E2016-01052-CCA-R3-CD, 2017 WL 3575871, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App. Aug. 18, 2017), perm. app. denied (Tenn. Nov. 16, 2017). The Petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief. After a hearing, the post-conviction court granted post-conviction relief, concluding that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to inadmissible social media evidence in conjunction with not eliciting testimony about the Petitioner’s prior conflict with the victim and that trial counsel’s performance prejudiced the Petitioner. On appeal, the State contends that the post-conviction court erred because trial counsel made a reasonable strategic decision when failing to object to the social media evidence and because the Petitioner cannot show that trial counsel’s performance prejudiced him. After review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s judgment.

Gov. Bill Lee will deliver his final State of the State address to the General Assembly and Tennesseans at 6 p.m. CST on Feb. 2 during a joint session in the House chamber of the Tennessee State Capitol. “As we begin our final year together, I’m grateful for what we’ve accomplished and confident that the decisions we make today will help define Tennessee’s next chapter and our role in America’s future.” Gov. Lee said in a press release. The address will be streamed on Lee’s Facebook, YouTube and aired statewide.

The Defendant, Maurice Tyrone Flanigan, filed a pro se pleading seeking to “correct” his six-year sentence for robbery, asserting that it had expired. The trial court treated the filing as a petition for a writ of habeas corpus and directed that the Defendant be brought before the court for a hearing. At that hearing, the trial court concluded that the Defendant’s sentence had expired and entered a release order based on its understanding that the district attorney general did not dispute that conclusion. The State now appeals through the Attorney General and Reporter, contending that it was entitled to notice and an opportunity to be heard before the trial court granted habeas corpus relief. Upon our review, we agree that the Attorney General and Reporter is the only party who is statutorily authorized to appear and represent the State’s interests in a habeas corpus proceeding. Accordingly, we respectfully vacate the trial court’s order granting relief and remand for further proceedings so that the Attorney General may present the State’s arguments in the first instance.