Podcast Description: On this edition of WGNS Action Line, the discussion turns to the realities of criminal justice in Rutherford County—past and present. Host J. Paul Newman, joined by co-host Bill Whitesell, revisits a past murder case that resulted in a conviction and left a lasting impact on a young child. The case involved the murder of a mother of a six-year-old boy, who later sought to change his last name so he would not carry the name of the man convicted of killing his mother. Although ultimately successful, the legal process took years to complete.

The conversation expands as the hosts speak with Don Ash, who served as Circuit Court Judge for the 16th Judicial District from 1994 to 2012, covering Rutherford and Cannon counties. Judge Ash provides insight into that case and others from his time on the bench. Later in the program, current District Attorney Jennings Jones joins the discussion to update listeners on active and pending cases, including murder cases from the past several years that are now moving through the court system and scheduled to be heard in 2026. Click PLAY above this description to hear the entire show.