TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on May 19, 2026

Morgan County District Attorney (DA) General Russell Johnson said the stabbing death of corrections officer Dustin Pedigo at the county correctional complex remains his office’s top priority as the case heads to the grand jury later this month. According to WBIR, prison-generated cases from the facility now outnumber non-prison criminal cases on the county’s docket, with more than 200 cases pending over the past two years. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues to investigate Pedigo’s death and what Johnson describes as “various issues” at the prison, including allegations from current and former employees involving intimidation and retaliation tied to safety concerns. Gov. Bill Lee, who visited the facility following Pedigo’s death, called the incident “a tremendous tragedy” and said the state must continue working to improve prison safety. Prosecutors plan to present the case to the grand jury on May 26 and could consider seeking the death penalty if a first-degree murder indictment is returned.