A Federal Judge has set a deadline of June 17th for the state to retry death row inmate Paul House or set him free.

The Supreme Court found that no reasonable juror would have convicted him in light of DNA evidence developed later. A recent appeals court panel blasted the Union Co. DA for prosecutorial misconduct.

Seems to me like the Union Co. DA needs to quit being stubborn, admit the mistake, and move on.

Tom Humphrey files this informative report on the state's judiciary appointment process, the debate as to whether it's constitutional, and disagreement between Gov. Bredesen and Lt. Gov. Ramsey about reforms.

Ramsey complains that the current process results in too many "liberal" judges. Bredesen wants the process to be more open. Others say the process violates the Tennessee Constitution, which requires judges to be elected.

Current law implements a process which provides for a panel to review and nominate judges, the governor to appoint them, and voters to decide on retention in nonpartisan ballot questions every eight years.

If no compromise can be reached, the law enabling the current process will lapse, and judges, including Tennessee Supreme Court judges, would be appointed by the governor without any screening or nomination process and would have to face opponents and stand for reelection in partisan elections.

Personally, I'm for getting politics, partisan and otherwise, out of the courts.

Details about an audio recording so shocking that the judge who made it had to resign are starting to emerge at a hearing over whether the content should be made public.

According to witness statements, the tape made by former Tennessee Circuit Judge John B. Hagler involves "torture fantasies."