Man charged with killing fiancee withdraws motion to take back guilty plea
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JACKSON, Tenn. — The former Union University student who admitted to killing his fiancee, then tried to withdraw that guilty plea, changed his mind again Tuesday. “I approve the order now which withdraws the motion,” Judge Roy Morgan said. Morgan allowed Charlie Pittman to withdraw his motion to take back his guilty plea Tuesday. “You understand you cannot change your mind filing it again in this respect?” Morgan asked. “Yes, sir,” Pittman responded. In August, Pittman pleaded guilty to killing his fiancee, Olivia Greenlee. About three weeks later, Pittman filed a handwritten motion saying he wants a trial because he did not fully understand what he was doing. Pittman‘s attorney, Joseph Howell, released a statement saying “After reviewing the facts and the law, Mr. Pittman felt it was in his best interest not to pursue this motion.” “We can’t comment right now as this motion indicates,” Assistant District Attorney General Jody Pickens said. “These matters can continue after a guilty plea.” Pickens said the state still considers the case somewhat of an open file. “The defendant may or may not choose to file motions regarding this matter in the future,” he said. Attorney Daniel Taylor said it is hard to withdraw a guilty plea. “It’s got to be something that indicates it wasn’t voluntary or knowingly entered,” he said. Taylor said defendants still can file a petition requesting a new trial claiming their lawyer was ineffective and if new evidence surfaces. “These are all mechanisms where there could be some way to right a possible wrong,” Taylor said. Pittman is currently serving a 40-year prison sentence. Taylor said defendants have one year from the time they enter a guilty plea to file a petition claiming their lawyer was ineffective.
