Former Henderson Co. sheriff appears in court ahead of retrial

JACKSON, Tenn. — A former Henderson County sheriff set to face retrial in a 2012 shooting involving his then-wife appeared Monday before a judge.

“I’m assuming we’ve already tried it once, so all the issues are in place,” Madison County Judge Kyle Atkins said.

In 2012, investigators say Ricky Lunsford shot at his wife outside a west Jackson bar after the two got into an argument. His attorney, Mark Donahoe, says his client didn’t have a fair trial.

An appeal was filed following the 2013 conviction for attempted voluntary manslaughter.

Donahoe said the 2017 retrial comes from a mistake in jury instruction. In court, he told Judge Atkins he plans to request one motion before the next trial.

“I’ll have one for specific instruction on self-defense,” Donahoe said.

Judge Atkins said he anticipates setting a trial date in early 2017.