This is a big story that has been smoldering just beneath the surface for years now.
For newbies, Raynella Dossett Leath was once the wife of Ed Dossett, Randy Nichols' predecessor as attorney general. Ed, who was dying of cancer, met a very strange end when it was reported that he died after being stomped to death by milk cows. The story, IIRC, was that he'd asked to be wheeled out to the barn to see his cows and somehow ended up beneath their hooves. The whole thing always sounded more than a little strange to me, but it was accepted by tptb. The medical examiner -- Randy Pedigo -- ruled it an accidental death and word was that the widow collected triple indemnity.
Next thing we heard about Raynella, some guy who (and this is sketchy) had to do with the legally recognized father of a baby that Raynella thought was fathered by her late husband. Raynella called the guy to come down to her farm to discuss the issue. The guy said she took him down to the barn (hereafter to be known as the Barn of Doom), pulled out a gun and a legal document and ordered him to sign the kid over to her or get shot. He claimed that she took a shot at him; she denied it. She wasn't charged with anything.
Then, a few years later, her second husband ends up dead, shot in the back of the head. She said it was suicide; his family said it was murder and sued Raynella when they couldn't get her prosecuted (maybe because it didn't happen in the Barn of Doom). Now, years later, she has been indicted for Murder 1.
Raynella was an RN and a real badass. She gave me my first good cussing as a Journal reporter when I called her husband after 8 p.m. about a breaking crime story. Glad she didn't invite me over to the barn.
Seriously, it's strange that it's taken so long to get this indictment. Perhaps they should look into Ed's death, too. This has been very underreported locally, and has all the earmarks of a good A&E crime story.
And finally, Raynella has been released on bond. If she asks you to meet her down at the barn, just say no.
|
Topics:
|
72
vote
|
Shortcuts
Discussing:
- Financial reform rally and march downtown (2 replies)
- Public meeting re. proposed West Town area homeless supportive housing (220 replies)
- Iraq war: Seven year anniversary (2 replies)
- The plot thickens: Hutchison says loan document signature forged (5 replies)
- Don Williams: A Nation of Wolves and Sheep (2 replies)
- Bernie Sanders to introduce Public Option (2 replies)
- Haslam: Health care bill "ill-conceived" and "disastrous" (3 replies)
- CBO: Reconciliation health bill will reduce deficit (1 reply)
- City of Knoxville proposing Homeless Housing in South Knoxville (38 replies)
- a vision for the old city (7 replies)
- Survey about Local Television News (2 replies)
- LEAF mountaintop removal action alert (1 reply)
Upcoming events:
- Mar 21 2010 - 12:00pm (2 hours 46 min from now)
- Mar 23 2010 - 7:00pm (2 days 9 hours from now)
- Mar 24 2010 - 8:00pm (3 days 10 hours from now)
- Mar 26 2010 - 5:00pm (5 days 7 hours from now)
- Apr 2 2010 - 6:30pm (1 week 5 days from now)
- Apr 9 2010 - 8:00am (2 weeks 4 days from now)
- Apr 9 2010 - 8:00am (2 weeks 4 days from now)
User login
Navigation
Citizen Blog-O-Rama
- A Saturday conversation on comments (Jack Lail)
- Become a fan (Jack Lail)
- Unhinged (Southern Beale)
- bad foreplay (Domestic Psychology)
- Quote of the Day...Quotes, actually, from a Great American (RoaneViews)
- RHS Reunion folks looking for some Photos (RoaneViews)
- Spring has Sprung (Southern Liberal Living)
- Obama Readies An Executive Order to Pacify Pro Life Democrats? (TN Guerilla Women)
- Stupak/Pelosi Abortion Deal is Off - for Now (TN Guerilla Women)
- middle-aged Saturday (Domestic Psychology)
- Passionate Friends (Newscoma)
- Honesty in Short Supply (RoaneViews)
- Pelosi Makes Abortion Deal with Stupak (TN Guerilla Women)
- Mulroy HQ Opens March 20 (Left Wing Cracker)
- Michael Wolff says: Just Do it! (Jack Lail)
Local Media Yokels
- Memo to ABC News (Michael Silence)
- New Clayton Center for the Arts opens in Maryville; Vanilla Ice on the way (Randall Brown)
- Lockness Monster spotted in the Smokies (Michael Silence)
- Knox Chamber Produces Crap Video in Attempt to Win Bid (Metro Pulse)
- Mountaintop Removal Hangs on One Vote (Metro Pulse)
- City panel gives i-rejection to i-house (Josh Flory)
- Head of FedEx recruiting business for UPS (Michael Silence)
- Have you filled out your census form yet? (Michael Silence)
- Sales up, prices down in February (Josh Flory)
- Filmmaker, furniture designer launching Old City grocery (Josh Flory)
- Friday briefing (Josh Flory)
- Dr. Bill Bass and 'The Bone Thief' (Michael Silence)
- 10 Days Out March 19-21, 2010 (Randall Brown)
- Discounted Big Ears tickets offered to high school and college students (Randall Brown)
- Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson discuss their new book while hanging out at the Body Farm (Randall Brown)
Nashville Media Cats
- Tea Party Protesters Accused Of Dropping N-Bomb On Civil Rights Leader (AC Kleinheider)
- Tea Partiers Protest HCR At the Plaza (AC Kleinheider)
- The 20 Democrats Who Will Determine The Fate Of Health Care Reform (AC Kleinheider)
- That Anti-Gun Seizing Legislation Is All For Show (AC Kleinheider)
- Bill Haslam On The Health Care Reform Fight In DC (AC Kleinheider)
- Ramsey Calls On Tanner To Stay A ‘No’ On Health Care Reform (AC Kleinheider)
- On Legislative Arming & Disarming Of Tennessee Citizens (Tom Humphrey)
- Rep. Campfield Vs. UT: A Crazy Competition? (Tom Humphrey)
- Honoring a Mapp of Civil Rights (Tom Humphrey)
- FEC Flags Blackburn For Symphony Ticket Purchase (AC Kleinheider)
- Ramsey: No Way Wamp Can Win Governor’s Race (AC Kleinheider)
- UT Official Suggests Campfield Gun Bill Payback For Being Ejected From Stadium (AC Kleinheider)
- Upskirting (AC Kleinheider)
- Dolly Parton For Tourism Commissioner (AC Kleinheider)
- The Road To 216 (AC Kleinheider)
Daily Rag
- On Dollywood's 25th anniversary, park attractions include entertainment, economic growth (Knoxville News Sentinel Business)
- At first thought a suicide, police search for killer of Knoxville man (Knoxville News Sentinel)
- UT official: Rep. Campfield's proposals on the university unneeded (Knoxville News Sentinel)
- What are college presidents paid? (Knoxville News Sentinel)
- Patricia Heaton headlines Women Today (Knoxville News Sentinel)
- Athletes get a chance at outdoor adventure (Knoxville News Sentinel)
- Demonstrators in downtown Knoxville call for jobs, health care (Knoxville News Sentinel)
- Cry Baby 110K bike ride helps children in crisis (Knoxville News Sentinel)
- Business bulletin board: March 21 (Knoxville News Sentinel Business)
- Business people in the news: March 21 (Knoxville News Sentinel Business)
Film at 11
- Large fire destroys Knoxville home's garage (WATE local)
- Man and child injured in Sevierville ATV accident (WATE local)
- Bill could hinder proposed rail facility in New Market (WATE local)
- Vols beat Ohio; advance to NCAA Sweet 16 (WATE local)
- Dozens protest in downtown Knoxville demanding banks to pay up (WATE local)
- 230th Guardsmen return to Tennessee soil (WBIR Local)
- Small anti-war rally delivers big message (WBIR Local)
- NCAA women's hoops tourney scores big for Knoxville tourism (WBIR Local)
- Fulton High students dig in to new project (WBIR Local)
- Vols move to Sweet Sixteen with 83-68 win over Ohio (WBIR Local)
- Work wanted by union marchers (WVLT Local)
- Knoxville fire is third at vacant house in one year (WVLT Local)
- Gubernatorial forum talks tourism at Dollywood (WVLT Local)
- Tenn. gubernatorial hopefuls give top tourist spot (WVLT Local)
- Military families share thoughts on 7 years at war (WVLT Local)
Wire Reports
- Key Democrat says votes in place for health bill (AP) (AP Politics)
- House heads for close healthcare vote (Reuters) (AP Politics)
- Former Interior Secretary Udall dies at age 90 (AP) (AP Politics)
- Fargo's fight against flooding nears its climax (AP) (AP National News)
- Obama on the brink of a health care reinvention (AP) (AP Politics)
- 2 Baltimore officers shot during traffic stop (AP) (AP National News)
- US House to vote on Obama's historic health plan (AFP) (AP Politics)
- Clinton pokes fun at Dems, GOP and himself (AP) (AP Politics)
- Struggling town turns out to bury fallen soldier (AP) (AP National News)
- Lawmaker won't press charges in spitting incident (AP) (AP Politics)
- Raucous, ugly buildup to House health care vote (AP) (AP Politics)
- Pelosi steeled W.H. for health push (Politico) (AP Politics)
- Raucous tea partiers protest bill (Politico) (AP Politics)
- Thousands rally to pull troops from 2 war zones (AP) (AP Politics)
- Thousands rally to pull troops from 2 war zones (AP) (AP National News)
- New threat puts Calif. police on heightened alert (AP) (AP National News)
- Raucous, ugly build-up to House health care vote (AP) (AP Politics)
- Tea party protesters use racial epithet against Georgia's John Lewis (McClatchy Newspapers) (AP Politics)
- Boy Scouts sex abuse files now evidence in lawsuit (AP) (AP National News)
- 3 deaths reported as snow storm strikes Plains (AP) (AP National News)
About KnoxViews
Search
Popular today
Popular this week
- Tennessee gun laws: Exporting gun violence
- West Knox site not suitable for homeless housing development
- Texas Votes To Remove Thomas Jefferson from History Class
- No more handouts!!! No free lunch here!!!
- Mayor Ragsdale, Others Get Raises While Departments Slash Budgets?
- Knoxville gas prices: higher or lower?
- Government at its worst
TN Progressive All-Stars
- BlountViews
- Crone Speaks
- Cup of Joe Powell
- Left Wing Cracker
- Liberadio(!)
- Newscoma
- OpenPen
- Pith in the Wind
- RoaneViews
- Sean Braisted
- Sharon Cobb
- Silence Isn't Golden
- Southern Beale
- Speak to Power
- TennViews
- Tiny Cat Pants
- TN Guerilla Women
- Vibinc
- WhitesCreek Journal
Nearby:
- AC Entertainment
- Ackermann Digital
- Blount Dems
- Carole Borges
- Craig Thomas
- Daily Pulse
- David Oatney
- Discover ET
- Domestic Psychology
- Dwight Van de Vate
- Ellen Smith
- Farragut West Knox Net
- Fletch
- Fort Sanders
- Frank Murphy
- Gene Patterson
- Home/Work
- Infomaniac
- Instapundit
- Jack Lail
- Jack McElroy
- Jim Stovall
- Jonathan Hickman
- Julie Patchouli
- Knox Blog Buzz
- Knox Dems
- Knox Trivia
- KnoxBlab
- Knoxify
- KnoxPatch
- Knoxvillager
- Last Home
- Left of the Dial
- Les Jones
- Long Pauses
- Lynn Point Records
- MamaPundit
- Michael Grider
- Michael Silence
- MoxCarm Blue Streak
- Mushy's Moochings
- Phyllis Patterson
- Pittman Properties
- Property Scope
- Randall Brown
- Reality Me
- Resonance
- Rikki Hall
- Rob Huddleston
- School Matters
- Shane Rhyne
- Snark Bites
- Stacey Campfield
- Suzy Trotta
- Tabloid Boy
- Team Swap
- Terry Frank
- Thirteen Letters
- TN Clean Water
- Tom Humphrey
- Tri Cities
- Wendy Pitts Reeves
- Yellow Dog
Beyond:
- 10,000 Monkeys
- AC Kleinheider
- Andy Axel
- BlogNetNews TN
- Chris Jackson
- Daily Docket
- Democracy for TN
- Democratic Talk Radio
- Enclave
- Ginger Snaps
- Just Wonderin'
- Lean Left
- Lynnster Zone
- Mark Brown
- Nashville is Talking
- NewsTechZilla
- Pesky Fly
- Planet Rye
- Quiet Life
- Smart City Memphis
- Southern Liberal Living
- Sugarfused
- TN 4th District
- TN Dems
- TN Ticket
- TN Trivia
- TN Women's Caucus
- Volunteer Report
- West TN Liberal
- Your Liberal Friends
- Bob Stepno
- Dope on the Slope
- Facing South
- Great Smoky
- GTTim
- Hillbilly Savants
- Lovable Liberal
- Newsrack
- Opinari
- Wandering Hillbilly
At large:
- Agonist
- Alterdestiny
- American Street
- Atrios
- Burnt Orange Report
- Buzzflash
- Carpetbagger Report
- College Dems
- Common Cause
- Crooks and Liars
- Daily Kos
- Democratic Strategist
- Democrats.org
- Digby's Hullabaloo
- DSCC
- Eccentricity
- Huffington Post
- Lefty Blogs
- Liberal Oasis
- Media Matters
- MyDD
- Open Secrets
- Pam's House Blend
- Political Wire
- Politico
- Progressive States
- Seeing the Forest
- Senate Guru
- Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
- Suburban Guerrilla
- Swing State Project
- Talk Left
- Talking Points Memo
- Think Progress
- Truthdig
Government:
- City of Knoxville
- Homeless Ten Year Plan
- Knox Co Commission
- Knox County
- Knox County Code
- Knoxville Code
- State of Tennessee
- TN Code Annotated
- TN General Assembly
- U.S. House
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. Thomas LoC
- UT CTAS
- UT MTAS




This is pretty amazing to me
This is pretty amazing to me as I had Ms. Dossett as a nursing instructor at UTK and she was one of the best instructors I had while at UT. I guess it just goes to show she definitely has a different side to her.
Two Heads on Many People
Unfortunately, this woman needs to see a good psychiatrist. I think it's a GREAT idea for CourtTV. I will contact them. This is a fascinating crime story. It reminds me of the case of Melanie McGuire on CourtTV - the one who chopped her husband's body up, put his body parts into three of their 'own' suitcases, and dumped him over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge! OMG! Yo, Melanie, wasn't kickin' him to the curb good enough? Google her. It's another wacked out story.
This is an intriguing case
This is an intriguing case to keep up with. Does anyone know if CourtTV or any local station will carry the upcoming trial of Leath's murder.
wild
Her daughters seem to have been very successful. This case is fascinating and she certainly seems suspect. I was not even sure if Pedigo was still alive, his involvement makes it more interesting.
Dossett Press Coverage.
What even happened to our Constitutional right to a speedy and fair trial? If the Dossett Laeth case has been dragging on for years . . . why? Sounds like there isn't a very good case. Often when the press smells a story, it is because it has already smelling because of corruption by the media. As far as not talking to the press, after seeing the negative innuendo comments in Bbeanster's Blog, I would find it hard to consider that person less than objective, so why would I consider even talking to them. To continue nearly daily harassment is to me cruel and inhumane. I thought the laws in America considered someone innocent until proven guilty . . . ooops sorry, I forgot, except in the eyes of the press. Either prosecute the lady or quit and go home.
People are inocent until
People are inocent until provent guilty. Watch Richard Fisher in court. He is all "smoke and mirrors", no facts, just alot of ranting and raving.
Remember, jury service is an honor and as such should be taken seriously. Too many jury's this day and age rely on emotion and not facts to decide a case. Emotion is not a reason to return a guilty verdict, only evidence and its got to be more than Richard Fisher's "smoke and mirrors" routine.
Good Luck Raynella
Raynella Dossett Leath
I know I'm sounding like the families/friends of other alleged killers, but I cannot believe that Raynella would EVER do something like this. I was a nursing student at UT and Raynella was my clinical instructor for several semesters. She was in fact elected our class favorite and she spoke at our graduation/pinning ceremony. I gave the speech introducing her and remember how much I admired and respected her as a student. She actually kept our class motivated and helped us through difficult times as young nursing students in a not so user friendly nursing curriculum.
You are going to have to prove to me that she did this because I'm on her side at this time 100 percent.
May justice, whatever that turns out to be, be served.