George Thomas granted new trial; motions denied for Davidson, CobbinsPosted: Jan 16, 2013 6:00 AM
By STEPHANIE BEECKEN
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - Senior Judge Walter Kurtz ruled Tuesday to grant a new trial to George Thomas, one of the four defendants in the Christian-Newsom murder case.
Letalvis Cobbins and LeMaricus Davidson, both of whom also requested new trials, were denied.
Judge Kurtz ruled that he was able to sit as thirteenth juror in both Cobbins and Davidson's initial trials.
In the third case, however, the judge ruled that, "the Thomas case does involve an overriding issue, or primary issue, of credibility" because of the lack of evidence against him, including DNA evidence.
The new trial was granted because in his initial trial, former judge Richard Baumgartner was under the influence of prescription pain pills and eventually pled guilty to official misconduct.
In the judge's order, he wrote that he only gave Thomas a new trial because he couldn't sit as thirteenth juror, because he couldn't see and hear the witnesses who linked Thomas to the murders in the initial trial.
With the judge's ruling for a new trial for George Thomas, this will mark the seventh year and more than 300 times the victims' families have been in the courtroom.
...more at linkhttp://www.wate.com/story/20592621/geor ... on-cobbins