The attorney for a woman who was allegedly involved with a Chattanooga man who is accused of soliciting the killing of his wife via text message has issued a statement saying she had no involvement in plotting the killing.
McCracken Poston, attorney for 39-year-old Vanessa Nelson, issued a statement on Wednesday addressing the allegations that 49-year-old Jerry McDonald - an Erlanger Lifeforce special operations manager and a volunteer reserve officer for the city of Red Bank - had an affair and plotted to kill his wife.
McDonald has been arrested and charged with solicitation to commit murder. Nelson has not been charged.
(READ MORE: Erlanger special operations manager accused in alleged murder plot)
"Due to the fact that these texts spring from an alleged extramarital affair, there is much salacious conjecture and a rush to judgment regarding Vanessa Nelson," Poston said in his statement.
"Anyone who has ever been involved in a texted conversation has experienced the confusion created when texts are read or misinterpreted without the benefit of the proper context, or as part of a whole conversation," he said.
According to Poston, Nelson and McDonald met in 2013 when they worked together.
While their relationship began as a friendship, Poston said it evolved into a romantic one that stemmed from their troubles within their respective marriages. Nelson has since worked things out with her husband, and McDonald divorced his first wife and married a second time, Poston said.
The attorney further stated that they maintained on-and-off communications throughout the years, most recently resuming contact via text six to eight weeks ago.
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Poston further stated that he has seen the texts in question and that Nelson was in no way involved in a murder plot.
"It is clear that Vanessa at first thought the topic at issue was a joke, an exaggerated reaction from McDonald, and while she initially joked back, she clearly withdrew from that specific area of conversation even as McDonald persisted," he said. "Things are not always as they appear, especially in the world of texted communications."
McDonald was arrested by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office after his wife claimed to have found text messages between him and Nelson plotting to kill her and collect her life insurance. McDonald is being held on a $75,000 bond.
Contact La Shawn Pagan at lpagan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow her on Twitter: @LaShawnPagan.