TULLAHOMA, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee man seeking a new trial after pleading guilty to killing a nursing student will get a hearing before a judge.
Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Smith set a Nov. 21 hearing for Donnie Jones of Tullahoma. Jones is seeking to back out of his Feb. 4, 2013 plea in the death of 24-year-old Megan Sharpton. Her partially-burned body was discovered on the morning of July 2, 2012, near Tims Ford Lake in Franklin County.
The Tullahoma News reported (http://bit.ly/1CQWHvC ) that Jones claims he was coerced into pleading guilty and had bad legal advice after being charged.
Jones is currently housed in the Morgan County Prison, serving a life sentence.