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Prosecutors undecided on whether to seek death penalty for Eric Boyd

Hugh and Mary Newsom, parents of Christopher Newsom, talk about seeing Eric Boyd in a Knox County Criminal courtroom Thursday. (Photo: Michael Patrick/News Sentinel)
Hugh and Mary Newsom, parents of Christopher Newsom, talk about seeing Eric Boyd in a Knox County Criminal courtroom Thursday. (Photo: Michael Patrick/News Sentinel) Hugh and Mary Newsom, parents of Christopher Newsom, talk about seeing Eric Boyd in a Knox County Criminal courtroom Thursday. (Photo: Michael Patrick/News Sentinel)
photo Eric Boyd (Photo: Knox County Detention Facility)

Knox County prosecutors said they have not decided whether the state will seek the death penalty for Eric Boyd – the long-suspected fifth perpetrator in the horrific 2007 torture slayings of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom – during his first court appearance Thursday.

Boyd, shackled and wearing a striped inmate jumpsuit, did not enter a plea to newly unsealed charges of kidnapping, rape and murder at his arraignment in Knox County Criminal Court.

Judge Bob McGee appointed lawyer Clinton Frazier to represent Boyd. McGee set a tentative trial date for Sept. 10. A status hearing is scheduled for June 6.

Read more at our news partner’s website, knoxnews.com.