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Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
A man convicted of killing four employees at a Taco Bell in 1994 has filed a civil lawsuit from prison against the Montgomery County District Attorney and Clarksville Police Department, demanding the return of his vehicle and other property seized during the investigation.
Courtney B. Matthews, 51, is currently serving four consecutive life sentences without parole for four consecutive convictions of first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery for his part in the 1994 robbery of the Clarksville restaurant and killings of four employees.
Prosecutors said the former Fort Campbell soldier hid in the bathroom ceiling until the restaurant closed, then shot the four night-shift employees before breaking into the safe, stealing cash, and fleeing with another man, David Housler. Both offenders were 19 years old at the time of the crime and were convicted in 1996.
Housler’s case was dismissed in 2014 when the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals ruled Housler had “insufficient representation” by his attorneys and overturned his conviction. He was released from prison after serving 20 years and was not prosecuted again for the crime since any statements made were deemed inadmissible at a new trial.
But Matthews’ case has not been overturned despite his multiple appeals during his decades in prison, which has resulted in the victims’ families being repeatedly dragged back into court. It appears that after the Court of Criminal Appeals again upheld his conviction in June, Matthews is planning to appeal to the Supreme Court.
And his legal machinations have not ended with his appeals as Matthews is now suing for the return of his car that was seized by investigators who discovered cash and other evidence that would later be used at the trial.
Stemming from changes to Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure that took effect July 1 allowing defendants to seek the return of property seized during a criminal investigation with no statute of limitations, Matthews’ suit primarily centers around a search warrant which he argues was invalid because it allegedly contained vague or missing details, including the failure of the magistrate to record the exact hour it was issued.
Matthews is demanding the state return items of “non-contraband” property, including a gold wedding band, $2,576 in cash, bowling equipment, U.S. Army disciplinary papers, and a 1989 Pontiac Sunbird. And if the car has already been destroyed, Matthews argues he should be reimbursed for its fair market value.
Perhaps even more odd is his ask that the court invalidate a 1996 court order which returned stolen cash to Taco Bell, claiming it was “the fruit of an illegal seizure” in court documents.
While seemingly frivolous, Matthews’ suit may be an attempt to take advantage of the criminal procedure rule changes and lay the groundwork to having evidence suppressed in his bid to have his conviction overturned.
The new rules allow for the suppression of evidence obtained in an “unlawful search or seizure,” which appears to be the target of Matthews’ suit- to prove the warrant which led to a large portion of evidence used to convict him was invalid.
Whether this suit will gain any traction is yet to be seen as the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office has not issued a statement on the matter or provided comment to media outlets at this time.
Sources:
https://clarksvillenow.com/local/hearing-set-for-man-convicted-in-1994-taco-bell-murders/
https://pch.tncourts.gov/CaseDetails.aspx?id=93313&Party=True
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
