KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A judge denied Lemaricus Davidson’s motion to disqualify Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti from representing the State in his post-conviction petitions. Davidson is one of five people convicted in the 2007 murders of Chris Newsom and Channon Christian.
Davidson was sentenced to death for the murders. His lawyers filed several motions asking the court to review his conviction and sentence. In June, the court heard the defense’s first motion to disqualify Skrmetti from representing the State in Davidson’s post-conviction petitions. A law passed in 2023 gave the AG control over cases like this, but Davidson’s lawyers argued the law violates the 14th Amendment and the Tennessee State Constitution.
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In the order to deny the motion, the court found that Davidson had standing to move to make the disqualification; however, it denied the claim that the law was not constitutional under Tennessee’s constitution. The equal protection claim was also rejected. The court ruled that the argument that the plain language of the act did not authorize the AG to represent the state in post-conviction proceedings was without merit.
With the motion being denied, the court is set to hear Davidson’s other motions requesting to review his conviction and death sentence. His conviction and death sentence were previously upheld. His lawyers argue that Tennessee law does not prevent race from being considered in applying capital punishment. The motion also states Davidson’s defense team wasn’t given enough time and resources to prepare an effective defense and that new scientific evidence could establish his innocence on several charges.
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Davidson was described as the “ringleader” in the murders. He was the only person out of the five convicted to be sentenced to death…