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For members: Man sentenced to 20 years for attempted murder

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McKinley Earl McGee, 51, of Oak Ridge, who is pictured above at right, was sentenced to the maximum 20 years in prison in Anderson County Criminal Court on Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, for an attempted murder during a stabbing last year that injured a woman so severely that she would have died if she hadn’t received medical treatment, a judge and prosecutor said. At left is defense attorney Curtis Isabell. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

CLINTON—An Oak Ridge man who has at least 15 criminal convictions was sentenced to the maximum 20 years in prison on Monday for an attempted murder during a stabbing last year that injured a woman so severely that she would have died if she hadn’t received medical treatment, a judge and prosecutor said.

Before he was sentenced Monday, McKinley Earl McGee, 51, had been convicted after a one-day trial in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton in July. At the end of that trial, the 12-person jury deliberated for about one hour before finding McGee guilty of attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and aggravated assault that resulted in serious bodily injury.

 
Curtis-Isabell-McKinley-McGee-Sentencing-Sept-9-2019

An Oak Ridge man who has at least 15 prior criminal convictions was sentenced to the maximum 20 years in prison on Monday for an attempted murder during a stabbing last year that injured a women so severely that she would have died if she hadn’t received medical treatment, a judge and prosecutor said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—An Oak Ridge man who has at least 15 prior criminal convictions was sentenced to the maximum 20 years in prison on Monday for an attempted murder during a stabbing last year that injured a women so severely that she would have died if she hadn’t received medical treatment, a judge and prosecutor said.

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Two charged with conspiracy after 45 grams of meth allegedly found in motel room

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William Michael Renfro
William Michael Renfro

An Oak Ridge man and woman are facing drug and conspiracy charges after 45.1 grams of methamphetamine were allegedly found in a motel room on South Illinois Avenue in May, according to court records.

Charged in the case are William Michael Renfro, 18, and Carlie Alise Wisman, 22.

Carlie Alise Wisman
Carlie Alise Wisman

A black backpack with 45.1 grams of methamphetamine was found in a room at Days Inn on May 7, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court by Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Adam Fairbanks.

Video from a surveillance camera showed Renfro entering the motel room with the black backpack, and another video showed him leaving the room without the backpack, Fairbanks wrote in the affidavits. Affidavits are narrative descriptions of alleged crimes that are attached to arrest warrants.

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Oak Ridge man charged with murder in drug death

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Ronald Nicholas Bunch
Ronald Nicholas Bunch

An Oak Ridge man has been charged with second-degree murder in the drug-related death of another Oak Ridge man in February.

It could be the first time that anyone has been charged with murder, rather than homicide, for a drug-related fatality in Anderson County. There has been a previous case where a man was charged with and convicted of homicide in a drug overdose death.

The man who died on February 6 was Steven Douglas Scruggs, 34.

Indicted in his death was Ronald Nicholas Bunch, 28, of West Wadsworth Circle in Oak Ridge. Bunch’s indictment for second-degree murder on June 4 said he unlawfully and knowingly killed Scruggs through the unlawful distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance, and the drug caused Scruggs’ death. Second-degree murder is a Class A felony in Tennessee.

The charge of second-degree murder, part of a three-count indictment, doesn’t specifically say what drug killed Scruggs. But the second count of the indictment charged Bunch with possessing fentanyl, a Schedule II medication, for resale.

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Man receives 2-year suspended sentence in drug overdose death

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Mike-Ritter-Troy-Venable-Aug-26-2019
Troy Andrew Venable, 30, right, pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide in Anderson County Criminal Court on Monday, Aug. 26, 2019, after a drug and alcohol overdose killed Lauren Alexandra Fritts, 26, in Oak Ridge on October 8, 2016. At left is defense attorney Mike Ritter. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 5:20 p.m. Aug. 27.

CLINTON—A 30-year-old man received a two-year suspended sentence Monday when he pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide after a drug and alcohol overdose in October 2016 killed a 26-year-old employee of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce and former goalkeeper for the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats soccer team.

The two-year sentence for Troy Andrew Venable was suspended with credit for time served in jail (about four hours), and he was placed on supervised probation during a 15-minute plea agreement hearing in Anderson County Criminal Court on Monday. Venable is to undergo a drug and alcohol assessment. He was also ordered to pay $1,850.50 in court costs.

Lauren Fritts

The overdose killed Lauren Alexandra Fritts, 26, on Saturday, October 8, 2016. She had consumed alcohol, crushed and inhaled 60 milligram roxycodone pills with her boyfriend, Paul Mize, and drank at a bar before using heroin supplied by Venable sometime after midnight—after Fritts and Mize got into an argument, according to alleged facts read in court on Monday.

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Free expungement, driver’s license clinic on Saturday

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The Anderson County Bar Association and NAACP are hosting a free Expungement and Driver’s License Assistance Clinic in Clinton on Saturday.

An expungement is a court order removing an eligible criminal charge or conviction from a person’s record.

The expungement clinic is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, August 24, at the First Baptist Church at 225 North Main Street in Clinton.

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For members: Judge finds probable cause in attempted murder of deputy

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Charles Mason Preliminary Hearing July 25 2019
One count of attempted first-degree murder and five aggravated assault charges filed against Charles Edward Mason, 52, of Anderson County, were sent to the grand jury after a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton on Thursday, July 25, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

CLINTON—One charge of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of aggravated assault, among other charges, were sent to the grand jury after a two-hour preliminary hearing in July for an Anderson County man accused of pointing a revolver at two deputies and pulling the trigger two or three times.

The defendant, Charles Edward Mason, 52, had faced 24 charges, including two counts of attempted first-degree murder, eight counts of aggravated assault, three counts of aggravated kidnapping, and weapons and drug charges, among other violations. Eleven charges were sent to the grand jury, although it is possible that the grand jury could consider the charges that have been dismissed.

Charles Mason Preliminary Hearing July 25 2019

One count of attempted first-degree murder and five aggravated assault charges filed against Charles Edward Mason, 52, of Anderson County, were sent to the grand jury after a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton on Thursday, July 25, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—One charge of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of aggravated assault, among other charges, were sent to the grand jury after a two-hour preliminary hearing in July for an Anderson County man accused of pointing a revolver at two deputies and pulling the trigger two or three times.

The defendant, Charles Edward Mason, 52, had faced 24 charges, including two counts of attempted first-degree murder, eight counts of aggravated assault, three counts of aggravated kidnapping, and weapons and drug charges, among other violations. Eleven charges were sent to the grand jury, although it is possible that the grand jury could consider the charges that have been dismissed.

Mason, who unsuccessfully sought to represent himself during the hearing, has a violent crime history. He has previously pleaded guilty to two homicides, one in Knox County, Kentucky, in 1994 and the other in Anderson County, Tennessee, in 2010.

The rest of this story, which you will find only on Oak Ridge Today, is available if you are a member, an advertiser or subscriber to Oak Ridge Today.

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P.O. Box 6064

Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Note: Most news stories on Oak Ridge Today are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our advertisers and subscribers. Some are considered premium content. This story is premium content. Premium content can include in-depth, investigative, and exclusive stories. They are generally stories that have required more than four hours to report, write, and publish.

Man charged with assault, DUI after allegedly hitting vehicle with pregnant woman inside

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Bobby Lindsay
Bobby Lindsay

A Clinton man has been charged with two counts of vehicular assault and driving under the influence after allegedly running a red light, hitting a vehicle with a pregnant woman inside, and then fleeing from the crash, according to court records.

The crash left the pregnant woman trapped and unable to talk to police officers because of her injuries, court records said. She was taken by ambulance to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.

The Clinton man driving the first vehicle, Bobby Lindsay, 48, has been charged with two counts of vehicular assault, DUI, possession of drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving on a revoked license (fourth offense), failure to use due care, leaving the scene of an accident, and violation of the financial responsibility law.

Affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton said a witness saw the vehicle driven by Lindsay run a red light in Clinton on April 18 and hit the vehicle with the pregnant woman inside, leaving the woman trapped. Lindsay then jumped out of the first vehicle and ran off, the witness said.

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For members: Man sentenced to 8 months after fight with officers

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A man who fought with Oak Ridge police officers, injuring five of them, pleaded guilty last week to five counts of aggravated assault on an officer, and he was sentenced to serve eight months in the Anderson County jail, according to court records.

Thurman B. Bates

Thurman B. Bates, 40, pleaded guilty to the five counts in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge on Thursday, July 11. He was ordered to serve the eight-month sentence with his release eligibility set at 75 percent of his sentence and with credit for time served. Bates has been jailed at the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton since January 6, or more than six months.

Oak Ridge Police Department Badge

A man who fought with Oak Ridge police officers, injuring five of them, pleaded guilty last week to five counts of aggravated assault on an officer, and he was sentenced to serve eight months in the Anderson County jail, according to court records. 

The rest of this story, which you will find only on Oak Ridge Today, is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or recent contributor to Oak Ridge Today.  Already a member? Great! Thank you! Sign in here. Not a member? No problem! Subscribe here: Basic

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If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to: Oak Ridge Today P.O. Box 6064 Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Note: Most news stories on Oak Ridge Today are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our advertisers, sponsors, and subscribers. Some are considered premium content. This story is premium content. Premium content can include in-depth, investigative, and exclusive stories.

Judge Elledge named president of Tennessee Judicial Conference

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Anderson County Circuit and Criminal Court Judge Don Elledge is pictured above on June 12, 2019, shortly after he was named president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Supreme Court, Administrative Office of the Courts via Flickr)

Anderson County Circuit and Criminal Court Judge Don Elledge has been named president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference.

Here is a story about Elledge by Tennessee Supreme Court, Administrative Office of the Courts:

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DA receives $240,000 federal grant for Family Justice Center

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Family Justice Center Site Coordinator Melissa Miller and Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark are pictured above at the signing of the grant contract for the Anderson County Family Justice Center in July 2019. (Submitted photo)

The district attorney general in Anderson County has received a $240,000 federal grant to set up a family justice center.

The Anderson County Family Justice Center will help combat child abuse, domestic abuse, and elder abuse, Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark said in press release on Tuesday. It will be organized and formed during the first year or two of the grant contract, Clark said.

“Upon opening the actual center, there will be a location where (Anderson County residents) with abuse issues can go to get services from a variety of providers who will all have a representative located in the Family Justice Center,” Clark said. “In addition, referrals may be made by the Family Justice Center to other organizations that can provide help.”

Melissa Miller has been hired as the site coordinator of the Family Justice Center.

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Oak Ridge man convicted of attempted murder

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McKinley Earl McGee

An Oak Ridge man who had been accused of stabbing his girlfriend and trying to kill her last year was convicted of attempted murder this week.

McKinley Earl McGee, 50, was convicted after a jury trial that started Tuesday morning in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton. Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark announced the conviction in a press release on Wednesday. The 12-person jury deliberated about 58 minutes before returning with its verdict, Clark said.

McGee was convicted of attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, Clark said.

McGee was convicted of stabbing and trying to kill Machel Elaine Avery on Utica Circle in Oak Ridge on January 12, 2018, Clark said.

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Oak Ridge resident appointed to state judicial conduct board

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Edwena L. Crowe of Oak Ridge has been appointed to Tennessee’s reconstituted Board of Judicial Conduct.

The appointment was announced in a Wednesday afternoon press release from the office of Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge Republican.

The Board of Judicial Conduct was created by the Tennessee Legislature to investigate complaints against judges and ensure accountability and ethical conduct in the judiciary, the press release said.

“Edwena Crowe is a pillar of this community and a woman of strong ethical character,” McNally said in the press release. “The Board of Judicial Conduct needs citizens who are able to look at the evidence, make decisions, and stand by them. Edwena is a highly skilled executive who understands how to make good decisions based on the evidence presented. The Board will be stronger with her contributions. I am confident she will do well.”

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