Day 1: Court meets again for Zach Adams hearing, 2017 trial prosecutor takes the stand

HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. — Zach Adams appeared in Hardin County Circuit Court to continue to provide new evidence hoping to overturn his original conviction.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE (08/15/25): Witness testimonies continue in post-conviction hearing for Zach Adams

In January 2024, Adams filed a petition to overturn his conviction on accusations of new evidence including, the recanting of Jason Autry’s original testimony and the ineffective use of counsel.

Wednesday, Adams’ new defense attorney, Doug Bates, called Paul Hagerman to the witness stand.

Hagerman was a prosecutor in the original trial for Adams back in 2017 along with Jennifer Nichols. Bates questioned Hagerman on his relationship with Adams’s original defense attorney Jennifer Thompson.

“I got along with Ms. Thompson quite well. She knew she could come to me with questions or I need X or I need Y or wanting to talk about X or Y,” said Hagerman.

He says he knew Thompson was fighting for Adams’ innocence.

“She was at the extreme of maintaining Zach’s innocence and she vigorously litigated,” said Hagerman.

Bates also questioned phone records and Dylan Adams’ original statement. Hagerman says Dylan Adams’ statement was hard to piece together.

“Having watched on the statement and having talked to Dylan. Hard to piece together. It definitely left so many questions,” said Hagerman.

Zach Adams was sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 50 years. He is set to appear for day two of this hearing Thursday morning.

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