By David in TN

Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood has again refused to step aside from what Jamie Satterfield calls “one of Knoxville's most horrific criminal cases.”[Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood rejects recusal, saying he's not lost objectivity By Jamie Satterfield, KnoxNews, September 10, 2012]

Judge Blackwood said in a written opinion released today that he has not lost his objectivity, which had been alleged by the prosecution.

Blackwood has agreed to review his decision for new trials in the cases of Davidson and Cobbins because of the DNA evidence. He still insists on a new trial for George Thomas, who was not linked by forensics to the killings. Vanessa Coleman’s retrial is still on for November.

N.S.: With all this mischief and criminal justice affirmative action, here’s what could now happen, between a best and worst-case scenario.

Vanessa Coleman gets acquitted, based on her being a black female, and sues Knox County for millions of dollars.

George Thomas is acquitted on the major charges, and convicted of facilitation of rape and murder, gets sentenced to 20 years, and is released on parole, circa 2014.

Lemaricus Davidson gets convicted on the major charges, but is sentenced only to life until parole.

Letalvis Cobbins gets convicted on many charges, and is unofficially sentenced to the equivalent of life until parole.

But that’s not, contrary to my earlier judgment, the real worst-case scenario, which is that due to black juror mischief, no one gets convicted of anything (hung juries or acquittals). But as I said, that’s a worst-case scenario. New York City and L.A. got that far a generation ago, but Eastern Tennessee isn’t there yet… is it?