

04/29/10: Kelley Cannon going to prison for life for killing husband

Jury convicts her of first-degree murder

Dec. 11, 2012
<b>Kelley Elizabeth Cannon </b>
Kelley Elizabeth Cannon

Kelley Elizabeth Cannon received an automatic life sentence for killing her husband after a Davidson County jury found her guilty of first-degree premeditated murder on Thursday.

Cannon was accused of strangling Nashville lawyer James Cannon, on June 23, 2008. A cleaning lady found his body in a bedroom closet in his 710 Bowling Ave. home.

James Cannon had full custody of the couple's children. Kelley Cannon said she went to his house the night before his body was discovered and found the back door open and no sign of her husband.

Investigators found bleach on James Cannon's body and the clothing his wife was wearing during her visit to his house. They also discovered she'd stolen latex gloves from a store the night of the murder, and part of a glove with her DNA in it was found at the scene of the crime.

Prosecutors Katy Miller and Sharon Reddick gave credit for the conviction to the strong evidence, calling DNA a powerful tool.

From the beginning, observers wondered how a 100-pound woman was able to strangle her husband and put him in the closet. But during the trial, a medical examiner testified James Cannon died of asphyxia from strangulation and that he had a blood alcohol content of 0.15. There were scrapes along his neck, and it appeared that an object had been in his mouth, with someone holding a hand over it.

Following the verdict, James Cannon's family issued a statement thanking investigators and prosecutors.

"We are grateful to have this behind us. We feel that justice has been served, and thank the members of the jury for their careful attention to the facts of the case," it read.

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