One conviction against ex-judge overturned
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A federal appeals panel has overturned one conviction against a former criminal court judge who bought drugs, but upheld four others.
The action comes in the case against former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner. He was convicted in October 2012 of five charges of lying to cover up his purchase of prescription painkillers from a mistress.
The Knoxville News Sentinel (http://bit.ly/1sZxVnL) reports the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.
Baumgartner’s drug abuse while on the bench led to new trials for two suspects in the high-profile murder of a young Knoxville couple in 2007. Both were convicted again.
Baumgartner has already served a six-month sentence in the case, but the convictions bar him from collecting his state pension.
His attorney signaled that he may continue to appeal.
In May 2012, Baumgartner was arrested and charged with seven federal counts of misprision of a felony as a result of the TBI probe.
Baumgartner was found guilty on five of six counts on Nov. 2, 2012.
Richard Baumgartner was the judge in the Christian, Newsom Murder Trial that resulted in 5 people sentenced on 46 various charges. Channon Gail Christian, 21, and Hugh Christopher Newsom, Jr., 23, were a couple from Knoxville, Tennessee. They were raped, tortured, and murdered after being kidnapped the evening of January 6, 2007 when Christian’s vehicle was carjacked. One of those convicted, Lemaricus Davidson, sentenced to death, Has ties to Jackson and West Tennessee.
As a result of Baumgartner’s conviction 4 of the defendant’s in the Christian, Newsom murders sought a new trial. each of the four convictions were upheld.
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Contributing Information from: Knoxville News Sentinel, http://www.knoxnews.com
