In the Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2016, edition of the Elizabethton Star a story was published under the headline “New preliminary hearing ordered for man charged with shooting at police.” That story contained incorrect information obtained by the Elizabethton Star. The article stated the pending court case against Kelly Lee Pitts, who is charged with seven counts of attempted first degree murder and seven counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, had been remanded back to General Sessions Court for a new hearing. On Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016, the Elizabethton Star was contacted by the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office and informed the case against Pitts has not been remanded back to General Sessions Court for a new preliminary hearing. The defense’s motion for a new preliminary hearing is still on hold in Criminal Court at this time according to the Clerk’s Office, and Pitts is scheduled to return to Criminal Court on Jan. 30 for a status update on his case. The Clerk’s Office stated subpoenas which had been served on witnesses who testified in the original preliminary hearing requesting them to return to General Sessions Court on Jan. 13, 2017, in order to testify on behalf of the State were issued in error and those witnesses should not have been subpoenaed.
According to the Clerk’s Office, the case which was remanded back from Criminal Court to General Sessions Court for a new preliminary hearing involves Filipe Dos Santos Piumbini, who faces charges of attempted second degree murder, aggravated assault (serious injury), and aggravated assault (weapon).
The Elizabethton Star regrets this error and any confusion it may have caused.