Mullins Hearing Scheduled Today

Wednesday, February 27, 2002
by Bobby Rader News Director

Another hearing is scheduled for today for one of the six convicted of the 1997 shooting deaths of a Knox County family along a Greene County roadside.

Edward Dean Mullins is due in a Hawkins County courtroom today, appearing before Judge James Beckner. Mullins, as have three other defendants already, is asking that his guilty pleas in the deaths of Vidar, Delphinia and Tabitha Lillelid be set aside and a new trial be held. The judge has yet to rule on a similar petition by Joe Risner. His case was heard last week. Petitions by Crystal Sturgill and Natashia Wallen Cornett have been denied.

Six persons were convicted of the kidnapping and shooting of the family, which occurred April 6th of 1997. Only the youngest of the family of four survived the shootings. The defendants were all sentenced to three life terms without the possibility of parole.