Category: News

Trial of man accused of Navy SEAL’s murder begins

The trial that determines the fate of Eddie Ray Routh, the man accused of the murder of Chris Kyle, the subject of the Hollywood blockbuster American Sniper, and his friend Chad Littlefield, began the morning of Feb. 11 in Stephenville, Texas. The legend of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle became very well known after the million-dollar blockbuster movie, American Sniper, released in theaters this January. Representatives of Eddie Ray Routh were concerned that he would be given an unfair trial because of the fame now surrounding Chris Kyle’s story. After much deliberation to find a non-partial jury, 10 women and two men have been selected to determine the fate of 27-year-old Eddie Ray Routh. Routh has confessed to the murders but pleaded not guilty due to insanity from PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental disability that is diagnosed on many different levels, and is most common in veterans returning from war. If the verdict of this trial finds Routh guilty of murder, he could serve life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors have decided not to seek the death penalty. Routh will face life in a mental health facility if he is found not guilty by reason of insanity. After returning from his fourth tour in Iraq, Kyle was honorably discharged in 2009. Kyle chose to stay home with his wife and kids to raise his family, as he had missed many years of his son growing up and now had a new daughter. Kyle volunteered his time to veterans who were suffering from PTSD. Eddie Ray Routh’s mother came to Chris Kyle in desperation for help with her son’s mental state. He happily agreed to help out her son, who is a former Marine.… Continue reading Trial of man accused of Navy SEAL’s murder begins

Measles outbreak sparks vaccination debate

According to USA Today, there have been over 100 confirmed cases of measles in 15 different states, 92 percent of which are related to the outbreak that occurred at Disneyland in California. The states in which measles cases have been reported include California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota,… Continue reading Measles outbreak sparks vaccination debate

UC director promoted to assistant vice chancellor

John Abel, former Director of the University Center, has been appointed Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. The position became available in March, 2014, upon the retirement of David Belote, and the search for a new Assistant Vice Chancellor began in the fall. “ I was very interested in the position and decided to apply.… Continue reading UC director promoted to assistant vice chancellor

InsureTN defeated by state Senate committee

The Insure Tennessee initiative sponsored by Governor Bill Haslam was defeated in the Tennessee State Senate Health Committee by a vote of 7-4 on Wednesday. The initiative would have allowed families with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level to gain access to affordable healthcare. Lawmakers in the Tennessee General Assembly had… Continue reading InsureTN defeated by state Senate committee

Local Deejays Host UTM Wild n’ Out

The first UT Martin Wild n’ Out event was held yesterday in the Watkins Auditorium. Wild n’ Out is a popular game show hosted by Nick Cannon on MTV that features celebrities playing freestyle comedy games. Disc Jockeys Trent Garrett (DJ Narley) and Christian Thompson, co-deejays of Official Djs Unlimited hosted the event. There were two… Continue reading Local Deejays Host UTM Wild n’ Out

Closing arguments begin in ex-Vandy players’ rape trial

NASHVILLE — The rape trial of two former Vanderbilt football players began wrapping up Monday with a prosecutor telling jurors that video evidence and photographs taken of the crime would be enough to convict them on most of the charges. Beyond the video footage and photographs, testimony from several athletes shows the players are guilty,… Continue reading Closing arguments begin in ex-Vandy players’ rape trial

Saudi Students Mourn Death of King Abdullah

Saudi Arabia recently mourned the death of their 90-year-old leader, King Abdullah, who died Jan. 23 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His half brother Salman, former governor of Riyadh, has taken Abdullah’s place as king. President Obama met with King Salman on Tuesday, Jan. 27, to discuss the new regime. Hailed as a “cautious reformer” by The New York… Continue reading Saudi Students Mourn Death of King Abdullah

Russian spy ring discovered by FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reportedly dissolved a network of spies stationed in New York City reporting to the Russian government, officials said Monday. The United States government officially charged three suspects in connection with the ring on Tuesday. The suspects were tasked with gathering information on potential U.S. sanctions on Russian banks as well… Continue reading Russian spy ring discovered by FBI

Senate passes Keystone XL bill

The United States Senate passed a bill approving the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, multiple sources confirmed Thursday. The Senate, led by majority leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), voted 62-36 to pass the bill, which would confirm the construction of the fourth phase of the ongoing Keystone Pipeline project. The new addition would provide a wider… Continue reading Senate passes Keystone XL bill