Latest news with #TheTennessean
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man found guilty of second-degree murder of teenager outside East Nashville church in 2022
Joe De Leon, 24, was convicted of second-degree premeditated murder for an East Nashville shooting in 2022, according to the Davidson County District Attorney's Office. De Leon was also convicted of first-degree felony murder and possession of a firearm by a felon, the DA's office said. His trial began May 19 and lasted two days, according to online court records. Police said De Leon got into an altercation with 19-year-old Antonio Rudolfo in the parking lot of a church in the 200 block of Gatewood Avenue on Nov. 25, 2022. After they spoke for several minutes, De Leon shot and killed Rudolfo, police said. Police on Dec. 9 identified De Leon and put out a plea to the public for assistance finding him. When he was apprehended in May 2023, he was found in a stolen Lexus that had drugs and a loaded pistol inside, police said. He was charged with seven more offenses that he has not been tried for yet, according to online court records. For the group of offenses related to the killing of Rudolfo, De Leon was charged with first-degree premeditated murder but was convicted at the trial this month on the lesser charge of second-degree premeditated murder. He was also charged with carjacking in the Rudolfo-related offenses, but that charge was dropped, according to the DA's office. More: Jury convicts 72-year-old Ronnie Phillips of killing girlfriend's aunt in Donelson in 2022 Have questions about the justice system? Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him with questions, tips or story ideas at emealins@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Joe De Leon guilty of killing teen near East Nashville church in 2022
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Furious Denny Hamlin Rips Team for ‘Unacceptable' Issue at Nashville
Furious Denny Hamlin Rips Team for 'Unacceptable' Issue at Nashville originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Denny Hamlin had a strong car at Nashville Superspeedway, running up front for much of the race around the 1.33-mile track, including leading the second-most laps at 79, only behind eventual race winner Ryan Blaney's 139. Advertisement The No. 11 started on the outside of Row 1 and stayed near the front, winning the first stage and finishing third in the second. He finished third. All of it was even more impressive when you consider in the humid conditions the air that normally circulates through his helmet wasn't doing so because the hose had become detached. It happened twice. And on that second time in the third stage with just under 100 laps to go, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver didn't hesitate in showing his displeasure about the situation. Denny Hamlin makes a pit stop at Nashville Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images 'I lost my [expletive] helmet hose again,' he said over the team radio. 'Gotta get the interior of our car right. [Expletive] unacceptable!' Advertisement 'Copy,' his crew chief responded. After the race, and having cooled down physically and mentally, the 44-year-old spoke about the adversity he had to overcome with the malfunctioning helmet. 'That's three elements that the other driver's had I didn't have,' he said referring to also not having any water or a cool suit like many drivers employ. 'So yeah, I got hot. I had to Carson Hocevar the helmet visor up there to try to get a little air in." The No. 11 team has a chance at redemption next Sunday at Michigan. Race coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET on Prime. Related: Denny Hamlin Confirms Teams Rejected NASCAR Idea That Fans Have Wanted for Years This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
TN Gov. Lee signs 'Savanna's Law,' creates statewide domestic violence offender registry
Three years after the death of a young sheriff's deputy, Tennessee legislators have enacted a new law in her honor creating a public registry to track repeat domestic violence offenders. Gov. Bill Lee signed House Bill 1200, known as "Savanna's Law," on May 21, 2025. The bill is named in honor of Robertson County Sheriff's Deputy Savanna Puckett, who was found shot to death inside her burning home on Jan. 23, 2022. Puckett, 22, died at the hands of her ex-boyfriend James Jackson Conn, who pleaded guilty to first-degree premeditated murder, among other charges, and is serving a life sentence. More: Named for slain Tennessee deputy, bill would create domestic violence offender registry The newly enacted law will go on to create a registry at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for people convicted of a second and subsequent domestic violence offense and make offender information publicly available online beginning next year. As previously reported by The Tennessean, Tennessee state Rep. Sabi "Doc" Kumar of Robertson County introduced House Bill 1200 to strengthen domestic violence protections statewide. "Savanna's Law provides a critical step toward protecting future victims and holding repeat domestic violence offenders accountable,' Kumar said in previously prepared statements. 'The registry will give communities the tools they need to stay informed and safe." The Robertson County Sheriff's Office did not respond to The Tennessean's request for comments before the publishing of this story. According to the Tennessee General Assembly, the bill applies to individuals with a domestic offense committed on or after Jan. 1, 2026, with at least one prior. A prior conviction is not required to have occurred on or after that date. 'Individuals with a domestic offense (not confined to domestic assault) after January 1, and who have a prior domestic offense (can be before January 1) are supposed to be ordered onto the registry by the court,' a representative of the TBI said. Domestic offenses include assault, sexual assault, stalking and murder, among other offenses. Court clerks will be required to send certified copies of any offender convictions that meet the criteria for the new registry to the bureau within seven days of conviction. Currently, state officials don't know how many people may be required to register next year. Officials estimate at least 1,838 offenders will be required to register in the first year based on data from the Administrative Office of the Courts and Department of Correction Jail Summary Reports, according to the March 25 fiscal memorandum. How did they arrive at that number? The data shows an average of 4,594 domestic offense convictions have occurred each year for the last five years, though it's unknown how many of these convictions were for second or subsequent offenses. The Tennessee General Assembly Fiscal Review Committee assumes it's about 40% of convictions. 'There may also be an additional unknown number of offenders for second convictions of other relevant offenses that are not captured in this data, but this is assumed to capture the large majority of the relevant offenders,' state officials said. That led them to the roughly 1,800 offenders they believe will be required to register in 2026. But it may take a few months for the registry to fill out, as cases proceed through the courts and await convictions. 'It is not known precisely how long it will take for convictions to occur for offenses committed on and after January 1, 2026. It is assumed the first convictions will begin to occur three months later, or on April 1, 2026,' state officials said. Officials assume offenders will begin paying registration fees that day. Individuals who fall under the new law will be legally required to include the following information: Name Date of birth Conviction date County or counties of convictions Current photograph of the offender Information that will not be available to the public incudes addresses, social security numbers, driver license numbers or any other state or federal identification number. Along with the creation of this new registry, four new positions will also be created within the TBI to maintain it including one staff attorney, two intelligence analysts and one accounting technician. The TBI says all four positions, including salary and benefits, will cost the state $407,625 each year. Here's a breakdown of the salary and benefits for each position: Attorney: $162,990 Intelligence Analysts (2): $173,816 Accounting Technician: $70,819 State officials say the new positions will begin on Jan. 1. Other expenses related to these new positions are expected such as equipment, supplies, communication, training and professional services estimated at $50,073. That figure does not include a recurring $35,000 TBI officials estimate it will cost each year for registry maintenance and support. Another $250,000 will be needed to build and store the registry. TBI officials estimate a $150,000 cost to contract with a vendor to build the registry, and $100,000 will be needed for additional storage and processing capacity, according to the document. On April 16, the Tennessee House of Representatives passed the bill with an amendment. That amendment did two things. It changed who would receive registration fees for the registry and when offenders could be taken off the registry. The bill previously outlined a $150 registration fee partially retained by the court clerk and TBI. Clerks would retain $50 for administrative costs, while TBI would retain the remaining $100 to maintain the registry, The Tennessean previously reported. However, the amendment now requires the department of finance and administration's office of criminal justice programs receive the remaining $100 for the administration of grants to fund family violence prevention and intervention services. Offenders are not required to pay recurring annual fees. The amendment also replaced the bill's schedule for removing identifying information about a persistent domestic violence offender from the registry. Individuals may remove identifying information from the registry under the following circumstances: Five years after the date of the most recent conviction if the defendant has one prior conviction for domestic assault. Seven years after the date of the most recent conviction if the defendant has two prior convictions for domestic assault. 10 years after the date of the most recent conviction if the defendant has three prior convictions for domestic assault. 20 years after the date of the most recent conviction if the defendant has four or more prior convictions for domestic assault. Katie Nixon can be reached at knixon@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee creates statewide domestic violence offender registry
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Randy White, husband of country music star Lorrie Morgan, dies at 72 after cancer battle
Randy White, husband of country music star Lorrie Morgan, dies at 72 after cancer battle Randy White, husband of country singer Lorrie Morgan, has died following a battle with mouth cancer. He was reportedly 72. Morgan, best known for her hits "Five Minutes," "What Part of No," and "I Didn't Know My Own Strength," announced White's death on June 1 in an emotional post shared on her social media pages. The singer, who was previously married to late country singer Keith Whitley, did not share the date of White's death. "Randy has been my partner, my champion and my rock for 17 years," Morgan wrote alongside a photo of the couple. "Our big, wonderful family and I are devastated at the loss of this truly kind and incredible man. I was blessed by his love. Ran-Ran, I will love and miss you forever." USA TODAY has reached out to Morgan's representative for comment. White's death comes nearly two months after Morgan, 65, was forced to cancel a pair of performances due to White's ongoing treatment for mouth cancer. Morgan's manager confirmed to The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, in April that the Grand Ole Opry star's spouse was recently readmitted to a Tennessee hospital amid the health ordeal. Mouth cancer, also known as oral cancer, occurs when a growth of cells develops in the mouth, according to Mayo Clinic. The cancer can affect various parts of the mouth, including the lips, gums, tongue, inner lining of the cheeks, and the roof and floor of the mouth. Morgan's son, fellow singer Jesse Keith Whitley, shared his reaction to White's death in a heartfelt Facebook post. The tribute included a sweet collage of throwback photos of White over the years. "As I sit here in the room with hospice, I don't know really what to think or to say about this situation," Whitley wrote. "But I can say that the recent years of my life, all the way back to when I was 22-23 years old, this great man has been here and loved my mom and also me (and) my sister as we were his own." Reflecting on White's impact on Morgan and her family, Whitley said White "has shown unconditional love to my mother and been the most gentle soul to ever grace this entire family." "As we say our goodbyes, I reminisce of all the good times we have had (and) the battles he has helped overcome," Whitley wrote. "I can't tell you the amount of love that has poured in from fans, family and friends. We will miss you always and forever and our hearts are shattered in losing you. But you have fought one helluva fight RanMan!" Contributing: Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
You can't Uber to the front door of Nashville International Airport anymore: What's changing
Some passengers have complained about having to walk 10 minutes or less to the Ground Transportation Center for rideshare pickup at Nashville International Airport. Now, they'll be dropped off there too— if taking an Uber or Lyft. Starting at 12:01 a.m. on June 3, rideshare drivers will not be allowed to drop passengers off curbside at the BNA terminal entrance. Instead, they will head to the Ground Transportation Center. From there, travelers will follow the sidewalk to the right and cross the street to reach Terminal One. They can take the escalator, elevator or stairs up to the lobby where airline check-in counters and security lines are located. The Ground Transportation Center is on the bottom level of BNA's Garage Two. "Travelers utilizing ride-share services to BNA are encouraged to take this brief walk into consideration when making plans for when their ride-share driver will pick them up and take them to BNA," airport spokesperson Erin Thomas said in a statement. Nashville International Airport said in the May 29 announcement that centralizing rideshare activity will improve efficiency, streamline traffic flow through the main terminal roadway and help rideshare drivers "maximize their earning potential." "These upgrades play a vital role in BNA's broader long-term infrastructure plan, designed to enhance airport accessibility, efficiency and overall traveler experience," a statement from the airport said. This adjustment comes amid the airport's multi-billion-dollar expansion that has been ongoing for the last eight years. The total renovation costs since 2017 amount to $4.49 billion, including the ongoing Concourse D extension, another parking garage and road improvements. Friends and family dropping travelers off at the airport will continue to be allowed curbside drop-off at Terminal One, and the airport says to expect less curbside congestion once the change takes effect. The Ground Transportation Center drop-off zone is only for rideshare drivers and riders. The Nashville International Airport asserts that rideshare drivers will be able to maximize earnings under the new rule. Instead of dropping off a rider, circling out of the airport and then back in to the Ground Transportation Center for a pick-up, drivers can simply stay in one place. Airport officials expect that this will decrease the wait time for rideshare pick-up from BNA. Hadley Hitson covers business news for The Tennessean. She can be reached at hhitson@ To support her work, subscribe to The Tennessean. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville airport gets rid of front-door rideshare drop-off: Here's why
