Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

Today marked the start of the first-degree murder trial of William Johnson, the man who is accused of opening fire inside Reno Menswear, a department store located in Knoxville Center Mall (formerly known as East Towne Mall) in October of 2008, killing a store employee. Johnson reportedly got into a dispute with Reno Menswear employee Ahmed Nahl over a purchase he had previously made at the store which ended with Johnson returning to the store with a firearm and fatally shooting Nahl. When officers responded to the scene, Johnson also allegedly exchanged gunfire with them and was wounded in the process. He also faces charges of attempted murder and kidnapping.

First-degree murder trials always make the headlines because the offense of first-degree murder is literally the most serious offense a Tennessean can commit. The State of Tennessee reflects this view of the offense in its approach to sentencing by punishing offenders who are found guilty of first-degree murder with either death, life with parole, or life without parole and electing not to include it in one of the felony or misdemeanor classifications like every other criminal offense in Tennessee.

When a person has been charged with a crime so serious that death is literally an option for punishment, it is absolutely crucial that he or she is represented by experienced and dedicated criminal defense counsel who has the knowledge and expertise necessary to present the strongest case possible to the jury. A skilled Tennessee criminal defense lawyer can make sure that improperly obtained evidence is excluded, that statements taken in violation of the defendant’s rights are not admitted and that the trial and any sentencing is conducted in a fair manner. Such knowledge gives the defendant the best possible chance of achieving a favorable resolution at trial.

Source: http://www.wbir.com/news/article/137112/2/Trial-begins-for-accused-Knoxville-Center-Mall-shooter