Former sheriff may have re-trial after criminal convictions overturned

JACKSON, Tenn. — A former West Tennessee sheriff has his criminal convictions overturned on an appeal.

Former Henderson County Sheriff Ricky Lunsford was convicted in Madison County on charges that he tried to kill his wife, but the state appeals court says that trial may not have been fair.

Late Friday evening, the Court of Criminal Appeals ordered a new trial for Lunsford. Back in March of 2014, Lunsford was sentenced to six years in prison for using a firearm in the commission of a felony and three years of probation on an attempted voluntary manslaughter charge.

In 2012, investigators say Lunsford opened fire on his wife outside a west Jackson bar after the two got into an argument.

“The court agreed with us that we fairly raised a defense of self-defense in the case,” Lunsford’s attorney Mark Donahoe said. Donahoe said they filed the appeal immediately after Lunsford’s conviction.

“The jury did not have the benefit of having a full description of what law applied in this situation, and Lunsford didn’t receive a fair trial,” Donahoe said.

Donahoe said the state has 30 days to appeal the reversal to the Tennessee State Supreme Court.

If the case is retried, Circuit Court Judge Kyle Atkins will oversee the proceedings since he defeated then-Judge Nathan Pride in the fall of 2014.

We spoke with the Attorney Geeral’s office who say they are requesting a new special prosecutor for the case to avoid any conflict of interest.

“We will wait for a new prosecutor to be assigned,” Donahoe said. “We will have a discussion with that prosecutor’s office. You never know — it’s possible that case might resolve itself at this point.”