Problems with an indictment charging a Fentress County man with multiple major sex offenses against a child will cause a return to grand jury action during which it is anticipated the number of charges will be reduced.
As a result of the announcement in Cumberland County Criminal Court Dec. 3, a bond reduction requested by the Public Defender’s Office was successful. Bond was reduced from $2-million to $500,000.
David Michael Murrow, 50, whose address was listed on Riverton Rd. and Waymon Beaty Rd., Jamestown, in different court documents, was originally indicted on seven charges:
•Three counts of rape of a child;
•Continuous sexual abuse of a child;
•Aggravated sexual battery;
•Sexual exploitation of a minor; and,
•Contributing to the delinquency of a minor (providing meth, marijuana and alcohol to a minor).
Assistant Public Defender Lori Dowell sought to have the bond reduced, citing the chances all of the charges in the indictment would not go forward because some counts are included offenses of the most serious charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child.
That charge has never been presented in Cumberland County Criminal Court. It includes the lesser — but serious — charges of aggravated sexual battery and rape of the child.
A recess was held during which private conversations about the issue were discussed. When court reconvened, Assistant District Attorney Randall Gilliam conceded the case would have to be presented again to the grand jurywhen the panel next meets Jan. 6.
Citing no criminal history and the reduction of charges against Murrow being anticipated, along with family ties in Fentress and White counties, Judge Gary McKenzie granted Dowell’s motion for a lower bond.
McKenzie also ordered a protective order banning contact between the person listed in the indictment and Murrow.
The child — now a teenager — reported to authorities offenses allegedly occurred during unspecified dates. The indictment reads incidents occurred up to Feb. 15, 2023, when authorities became aware of the allegations and launched an investigation.
Witnesses include Cumberland County Sheriff’s Investigator Anthony Loshbough, Deputy Jason Powers, Lake Tansi Police Officer Nicholas Race, Crossville Police Department Lt. Jonathan Tollett, one Internet Crimes Against Children agent, two Crimes against Children investigators, one Department of Children’s Services investigator and two witnesses not identified to protect the identity of the victim.
A grand jury is a panel of qualified, randomly selected citizens who review evidence and verifies that those presenting cases had probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed by a criminal suspect. It is not a finding of guilty or innocence.