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Tennessee Wrongful Conviction Lawyers

A stunning article in the Nashville Scene underscores the need for wrongful conviction lawyers in Tennessee. According to the article, Paul Garrett was wrongfully convicted in the death of a sex worker named Velma Tharpe. Metro Nashville Police Detectives gave false testimony implicating Garrett. Prosecutors knew the case was “weak” and could not be supported, yet defended their actions anyway. He spent over a decade in prison for a crime he did not commit.

How does wrongful conviction happen?

According to the Equal Justice Initiative:

“More than half of wrongful convictions can be traced to witnesses who lied in court or made false accusations. In 2018, a record number of exonerations involved misconduct by government officials. Other leading causes of wrongful convictions include mistaken eyewitness identifications, false or misleading forensic science, and jailhouse informants.”

Further, systemic and institutional factors can lead to wrongful conviction:

“Police, prosecutors, and judges are not held accountable for misconduct that leads to wrongful convictions, such as fabricating evidence, presenting false testimony, or refusing to consider proof of innocence. Immunity laws protect them from liability even in cases of gross misconduct. Prosecutors can’t be held liable for falsifying evidence, coercing witnesses, presenting false testimony, withholding evidence, or introducing illegally-seized evidence at trial.”

All of these factors were at play in the Paul Garrett case. Prosecutors knew that the conviction was unsupportable, yet continued to defend their own actions. Unreliable jailhouse informants gave false statements. To date, no one involved in the prosecution of Paul Garrett has been held accountable.

How can a Tennessee wrongful conviction lawyer help?

Our Tennessee wrongful conviction lawyers may be able to help exonerees receive compensation. Depending on the facts, a federal cause of action may be available. Alternatively, the State of Tennessee has a statutory scheme for compensating wrongfully convicted persons. Under T.C.A. § 9-8-108, the Tennessee Board of Claims may provide compensation to exonerees for a maximum of $1,000,000.

If you or a loved one has been wrongfully convicted, call the Tennessee wrongful conviction lawyers at David Randolph Smith & Associates today.

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Our Nashville personal injury attorneys have over 75 years of combined practice handling cases involving personal injury, medical malpractice, civil rights, medical device lawsuits, wrongful death, and more.

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“The intellect combined with compassion of these people is incredible.”

I am very thankful to David, Lyon, Chris and all professionals who represent this firm. This team made an incredibly difficult situation end successfully. The intellect combined with compassion of these people is incredible. Our concerns were quickly and appropriately responded to, with knowledge and compassion. Law suits are very scary situations, but they never stopped communicating until I felt comfortable with the process. - K. Boland

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The DRS team was simply tremendous. They were extremely thorough and caring through the entire experience. I felt cared for the entire time. I will recommend them enthusiastically to anyone who ever needs legal help. - Dick K.

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Chris and the rest of the guys at the firm did an amazing job handling my case and making me feel like I was heard and important. Very professional and very hard working guys that I would suggest to anyone! - T. Sapp.

“They kept me in the loop every step of the way and made me feel like family.”

This is a wonderful law firm. They kept me in the loop every step of the way and made me feel like family. I would highly recommend! - David S.

“There are really no words to adequately describe how thankful we are.”

There are really no words to adequately describe how thankful we are for Lyon and the others at this law firm. The events that led us to reach out to your firm were one the worst times in our lives. My husband’s illness and long recovery were something that we were not sure we would ever come back from. Thanks to the hard work, knowledge and dedication that you guys have put forth on our behalf we have been awarded a settlement that will ensure we have a secure financial future. You guys are the best! - Lorrie H.

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David Randolph Smith was the only attorney that would take our case. We were up against the US Government and Virginia’s state laws. Mr. Smith’s experience and expertise was the only reason we were able to get a settlement. He always answered our calls and kept us informed. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were very professional and nice. God sent this law firm to help us at a very sorrowful time. We were blessed for such a great law firm. If I ever need a lawyer, this firm would be first on my list. Thank you. — Vicky F.

“The end results gave me the justice and satisfaction I so desperately needed.”

Thru what was an absolute nightmare of an ordeal, I was finally blessed with the very best legal team a man could ever want or desire. I can’t even begin to express my overwhelming gratitude and sincere appreciation to my entire legal team. You are all of the very best at what you do, and the end results gave me the justice and satisfaction I so desperately needed. And it also gave me back my health and independence! On a scale to 1 and 10, I would give you give you a 12! God bless all of you from the bottom of my heart! - Darrell H.

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My wife and I couldn’t have had a better experience. The whole team was incredibly responsive, attentive, respectful, & friendly. Lyon took our case and you couldn’t ask for a better guy to have on your side. Not only was he super sharp and resourceful, but also the type of person that makes you feel like an old friend. Since we were seeking legal help for a very awful situation it made all the difference knowing that we were in competent hands the whole time. - Mark D.

“They always set realistic expectations and even surpassed them.”

It was a wonderful experience. Everyone we dealt with was attentive and responsive. They always set realistic expectations and even surpassed them. We are very happy we decided to use Smith and Associates. We highly recommend them. - Whitney G.