Legal Question in Criminal Law in Tennessee

Re: a 1974 murder

First of all, let me express my sympathies for your loss. Even though the murder occurred 30+ years ago, the pain never goes away.

It is difficult to known exactly what you are searching for, based only on your question. I would recommend you start by contacting the Clerk of Courts for the county where the crime was prosecuted, and ask for a complete copy of the public records in the Court file.

If there was a trial, there may be transcripts. You may have to travel to the Court and review those documents at the Clerk's Office, but they are public records.

The only exceptions to the "public records" rule might be if the offender was a juvenile or if the record of conviction has been sealed. By writing to the Clerk of Courts in that County you should be able to find out something.

One serious problem is that the Court records are indexed by the defendant's name, not the victim's name. If you do not know the defendant's name, try contacting the local newspaper. They can search their archives for news reports about the case.

Best of Luck. I hope you find what you are searching for.