The Daily News-Journal from Murfreesboro, Tennessee • Page Z2

2 SMYRNA A.M. WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2014 SMYRNA A.M Convicted murderer remains behind bars after appeal denied Smallwood testified Mindy Dodd devised a plan and provided him with a gun, rubber gloves and box to store them. He said he and Mindy Dodd planned the killing, which he carried out while she worked. After Sherman Dodd's body was found, Smyrna Police detectives questioned the widow. Detective Lt.

Todd Spearman testified Mindy Dodd told police she knew what Smallwood planned but denied her participation. She admitted providing the gun. Circuit Court Judge James Clayton sentenced her to 51 years in prison for the murder and a concurrent 20 years in prison for conspiracy. Contact Michelle Willard at 615-278-5164 or mwillarddnj.com. Follow her on Twitter MichWillard.

Mindy Dodd was appealing a previous appeal denial filed in 2004. Her counsel argued the appeal should be granted, saying her co-defendant perjured his testimony, Mindy Dodd suffered from Battered Women's Syndrome, her counsel was ineffective and "the medical examiner in her case has charges filed against him for inappropriate conduct relating to the findings in his autopsies and reports." Williams ruled Dodd had plenty of time to appeal between her conviction in 2001, her appeal denial in 2004 and the revelations about the medical examiner in 2005 before the statute of limitations ran out. Mindy Dodd was convicted of coercing Sherman Dodd's nephew, James E. Smallwood, then 23, to shoot and kill his un cle the night of Dec. 30, 1999, with a handgun he said Mindy Dodd gave him.

Smallwood pleaded guilty to first-degree murder of his uncle and is serving a life sentence. A Rutherford County jury convicted Mindy Dodd of conspiracy and first-degree murder based on Smallwood's testimony. At trial, Smallwood testified he and Mindy Dodd began discussing killing Sherman Dodd in October 1999 because of a history of sexual abuse. Smallwood testified Mindy Dodd said she was tired of her husband making her have sex with other people, The nephew testified he looked into hiring a killer but couldn't afford the $250,000 price tag. He then agreed to kill his uncle but needed a gun.

By Michelle Willard The Daily News Journal NASHVILLE The Tennessee Court of Appeals denied the most recent request for relief from convicted murderer Mindy Dodd on April 29. Mindy Dodd was convicted in 2001 of conspiracy and first-degree murder of husband Sherman Henry Dodd in Smyrna. Sherman Dodd impregnated her when she was his stepdaughter and later married her, according to court records. Mindy Dodd had asked the Appellate Court to review her entire conviction because of "newly discovered evidence." The court denied her request "because the petition was not filed within the statutory limitations period," Judge John Williams wrote in the court's opinion. transfer was because his old school was a 20-min-ute drive from his Smyrna home.

"I've done literally every thing you could do here," said Ballard, who landed a lead role in the school's first theatrical production. "The administration really let us hold the reins." In return, Ballard said administrators and teachers went above and beyond to make senior week "a blast." "They've made this a fun place to be," he added. For Hayden McKone, Stewarts Creek is the third high school she has attended in four years. Part of meshing together as a senior class, she said, was seeing her classmates for who they were rather than where they went to school. "We all had to get past what people at other schools though about us, like La Vergne kids are bad or Blackman kids are stuck up," said McKone, another La Vergne transfer.

"It's really the people who have made this school what it is. This has easily been the best year of high school." Even before the school opened in August, the Stewarts Creek administration adopted the concept of "One School. One Team." Early in the school year, it wasn't uncommon to see students wearing shirts from their former schools. "It was like the mystery of Earth," said McCarthy. "What school is this?" Such sightings are rare now.

"We finally got that mindframe that we're all one team, one school," Levinson said. Contact Mealand Ragland-Hud-gins at 615-278-5189 or Follow her on Twitter dnjmrhudgins. Seniors Continued from Page Z1 lowed health science teachers Alonna Smith and Emily Spears. The 46th school operated by Rutherford County Schools, the $46 million school is located in southwest Smyrna. It completes a three-school complex, giving students a chance to attend grades K-12 at one site.

It also relieved overcrowding at Smyrna, Blackman and La Vergne high schools. Stewarts Creek High is home to the state's first pre-dentistry program, for which Smith wrote the curriculum. It also offers courses in auto collision, broadcasting, cosmetology and audio engineering. Assistant Principal Tim Lake, also a La Vergne transfer, said about 40 percent of the senior class hails from Blackman, while the rest is evenly split between Smyrna and La Vergne. Making such a move, he said, was a bold choice for students.

"If I were to sum the seniors up in a couple of words, I'd say they're a class act. They chose to come here. Who really wants to go to a different school for senior year, especially when you have a choice to stay where you are," Lake said. A lineman on the Red Hawks football team, Nelson Masyan said the highlight of his year was when the team secured its first win, beating Summit 25-28. "It was awesome," said Masyan, who along with Levinson, was one of three seniors on the team.

Collin Ballard said he wasn't really involved in activities at Blackman High, where he said "it was hard to be noticed." Part of the reason for his Warmer weather drives up sales of cars Nissan has seen sales of LEAF, the world's best-selling electric car, increase 33 percent so far in 2014. gannett TENNESSEE Overall the Nissan Division also set an April record at 94,764 sales in the month, an increase of 18.5 percent. This marks a monthly record for Nissan division in 13 of the last 14 months. Fuel-efficient models Nissan U.S. Sales and Marketing and After-sales.

"With a substantially refreshed product lineup, Nissan has set monthly sales records in 13 of the past 14 months." Nissan vehicles built in the Volunteer State did particularly well, setting records all around. The Nissan Altima set an April record with 25,004 sales, an increase of 13.7 percent. Sales of Rogue crossovers also established an April record at 15,066, an increase of 26.6 percent. Sales of the all-electric Nissan LEAF set an April record, increasing 7.8 percent to 2,088. Nissan has seen sales of LEAF, the world's best-selling electric car, increase 33 percent so far in 2014.

Math Continued from Page Z1 way to tie math and science to reading and writing. Students have read books about plants and how animals and insects play a role in making a garden successful. Each day, they observe their plants, note any changes and write about them in their journals. Public speaking is also involved, Conrad said. "They have to go back and report to their homeroom class what they learned," she said.

Parents have also been supportive of the program and have sent in garden tools, gloves, watering cans and anything else needed to make the project work. Feedback from parents, Conrad said, often consists of them expressing gratitude for providing an alternative learning experience. Student Jada Jones likes sharing what's happening in the garden as much as she likes working in it. "I can tell you what plant belongs to who. Sheriff Continued from Page Z1 we can concur," Burgess said.

Phillips especially would like to see more about the pay plan. He protested the change because it will By Michelle Willard The Daily News Journal FRANKLIN Nissan set another U.S. sales record in April, selling 103,934 units, an increase of 18.3 percent over the prior year, the Franklin, car company announced Thursday. "As the spring selling season kicked into high gear, Nissan maintained its strong momentum with our best-ever April sales and monthly sales records for important models like Altima, Rogue, Versa, LEAF and Juke," said Fred Diaz, senior vice president for MAIL: 224 N. Walnut St.

Murfreesboro, TN 37130 EMAIL: smyrnaamdnj.com ONLINE: www.smyrnaam FAX: News Sales 893-7735 La Vergne Primary teacher Ginger Conrad shows a group of first-grade students a crane fly that was caught in the math-lab garden that the students are caring. Conrad and teacher Michele Hutti won a Nissan mini-grant from the Business Education Partnership Foundation to help pay for the garden and supplies, helen comerdnj the Versa, Sentra and Juke saw massive increases. Sales of the Versa jumped up 46.5 percent, Sentra sales increased 31.2 percent and Juke deliveries were up an impressive 55.2 percent. side to uncover the plants and see that they had not been harmed. "It's a great way for them to nurture and care for something.

It's been a lot of work but it's worth it. They're excited to come to school and learn," she said. Contact Mealand Ragland-Hudgins at 615-278-5189 or Follow her on Twitter dnjmrhudgins. tee meeting set for May 8. Once all the details are ironed out, the RCSO budget will then be incorporated into the entire Rutherford County budget that will be voted on by the full Commission in June.

Contact Michelle Willard at 615-278-5164 or mwillarddnj.com. Follow her on Twitter MichWillard. There's one that won't stand up straight no matter how much dirt we put around it," said Jones, who has helped family members with gardens containing watermelon, tomatoes and carrots. Conrad said students have become so attached to the plants, one student shared she had a nightmare about a recent frost killing the plants. The class promptly went out- likely cost the county even more next year.

"It's going to cost $200,000 on reoccurring basis," he said. After much discussion, Peay made a motion to pass the proposed budget with the stipulation to examine the changes to the employee pay scale before the Budget Commit- For more info contact Kristen Swann. 615-893-7303 orkristen.swannyourlocaluw.org j. To purchase tickets visit yourlocaluw.org SMYRNA A.M. ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION: Smyrna A.M., the only newspaper devoted exclusively to providing news, advertising and other information of interest to Smyrna residents, traces its roots back to the former Rutherford Courier.

It is produced by The Daily News Journal and goes to virtually every household in Smyrna. It is inserted in Wednesday's editions of The Daily News Journal and The Tennessean and delivered to non-subscribers. INQUIRUES ABOUT DELIVERY: To receive or inquire about Rutherford A.M., send an email to tmcservicetennessean.com or call 615-313-2726 NEWS: Taylor Loyal, Editor 615-278-5170 tloyaldnj.com ADVERTISING: Christian Nickells, Account Executive 615-278-5110 cnickellsdnj.com Laural Vaughn, Account Executive 615-278-5198 lvaughndnj.com tht jfcaily News Journal The TENNESSEAN GANNETT.