The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals has affirmed the dismissal of charges against Tawana Blair in a triple slaying in Cleveland in 1999.
In 2009, after 10 and a half hours of deliberation, jurors had announced that they were deadlocked.
Judge Amy Reedy proceeded to dismiss all counts of first-degree murder and second-degree murder (three of each) against Ms. Blair, who had been shot herself in the Valentine's Day triple slaying in Cleveland a decade ago. Ms. Blair was shot along with the three people who died - O.J. Blair, 18; Cayci Higgins, 19; and Dawn Rogers, 25.
The judge also acquitted Ms. Blair on especially aggravated robbery charges.
Her attorney, Lee Davis, said, "The court of criminal appeals today issued a decision validating our trial victory on behalf of Twanna Blair. Our client is innocent of anything to do with the tragic Valentines Day Triple murders.
"Despite facing the death penalty at one point, a jury trail, re-indictment by the state on murder charges, and now this appeal's court decision, our trial team has never wavered in Twanna Blair's defense. Today's decision is welcome and hopefully the end of a misguided prosecution by District Attorney Steve Bebb and now District Attorney Steve Crump's office."