The murder trial of Jeffrey Smithson continues in Coffee County Circuit Court today.
Smithson is accused of murdering his 81-year-old aunt Virginia White in August 2011 at her residence at Ingram Apartments in Manchester. The case expected to go to the jury today.
Yesterday testimony was presented by experts from the TBI Crime Lab concerning DNA samples derived from evidence. Also presented was evidence from Smithson’s cellphone of where he allegedly texted an individual wanting morphine after the death of White. The state medical examiner testified yesterday afternoon.

The assistant manager of a Manchester restaurant has been arrested for fraudulent use of a credit card. Tracy Jewel Edwards, 28, of Allie Boynton Road in Manchester was arrested Tuesday by Manchester Police Investigator Stuart Colwell on the charges. According to a police report, Sherrie Decker of Hillsboro Boulevard stated that she used her debit card at Kentucky Fried Chicken on Nov. 29 to purchase $10.47 of items. She told officers that she did not get her debit card back or give her a receipt. Decker said that she called the store and spoke with the assistant manager, Edwards, who stated that she would put the card and the receipt in the office of the restaurant. Decker was unable to pick it up due to illness for several days. She told officer that she had deposited her payroll check into her account on Friday and the attempted to make a purchase on Sunday and was told that her card had been denied. She checked her account on line and found that $494.38 had been charged to the account at KFC. Decker called KFC and spoke with Edwards who told her that her debit card had been found in the cooler of the restaurant.
Edwards allegedly admitted to using the debit card, according to Coldwell’s report. She was booked into the Coffee County Jail under a $2,500 bond and is due to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court on Dec. 18.

The Coffee County Commission last month has approved the issuance of $22 million for the construction of a new 400 bed jail. Yesterday groundbreaking was held on the property where the new Coffee County jail will be built. The current jail is averaging nearly 300 inmates on the weekends and a little less during the week. The new site is on Hillsboro Boulevard beside Fann’s Salvage. Part of the land was formerly used as a mobile home park.
Sheriff Steve Graves and construction manager Elvis Butler with Bell Construction Co. said the actual work starts Dec. 18, when the subcontracting process begins.

A former jailer is suing Bedford County for gender discrimination, claiming she was fired for the escape of a male prisoner earlier this year, while a relative of the sheriff kept his job. Virginia Lynn Hall, a correctional officer hired by the county in 2001, filed the suit Tuesday in Bedford County Chancery Court, and is demanding unspecified damages for loss of earnings, front pay compensation or reinstatement, compensatory damages for mental distress, emotional anguish, humiliation, and embarrassment, attorney fees, prejudgment interest, a trial by jury and “other and further relief.”

Gov. Bill Haslam says that while the crime rate is showing an overall decline in Tennessee, instances of aggravated assault, prescription drug abuse and domestic violence remain a major concern for his administration.
The Republican governor said at a meeting of more than 400 public safety officials in Nashville on Thursday that domestic violence accounts for about half of all crimes committed in the state each year.
Haslam this year introduced and signed into law a measure to require mandatory jail time for repeat convictions for domestic violence. But the governor said it’s too soon to tell if the change has made a significant difference.
The governor said his Cabinet will continue to work with law enforcement to seek ways to reduce violent crimes and drug abuse.

Children’s Christmas Around the World” is the theme of the 56th Annual Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade, scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight, Dec. 7. Grand Marshal for this year’s event will be Miss Tennessee, and Tullahoma native, Chandler Lawson. If you are coming to the Tullahoma parade tonight you’re advised to get to your viewing point early because a very large crowd is expected.

The Miss America Organization is proud to announce your opportunity to vote for a finalist at the 2013 Miss America Competition, broadcast live from Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 12, 2013 on ABC. The Miss America Organization has posted 53 exciting videos made by each of our 2013 contestants, showing off their style and personality and explaining why they should be chosen as the next Miss America!”

Cast your vote via one (1) of the following two (2) methods:

Vote for your favorite contestant’s video via this link: http://www.missamerica.org/videocontest/

OR

Visit the “Video Contest” tab at www.facebook.com/missamericaorganization.

Chandler Lawson of Tullahoma will be a contestant and we are encouraging you to go online and vote.