Millington Mayor Indicted

Hodges’ Attorneys Urge Public to Withhold Judgment
By Bill Dries

Attorneys for Millington Mayor Richard Hodges said Thursday, Oct. 13, the public should withhold its judgment until both sides of the corruption case against him are heard in court.

Hodges, who was indicted on two counts of bribery by the Shelby County grand jury and arrested in the Millington mayor’s office Wednesday, has hired attorneys Thomas Parker and Lori Patterson of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC to represent him.

Hodges was released on bond Wednesday evening following his arrest, which came after raids by Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents on several locations, including his home, Millington City Hall and the Millington Police Department.

An affidavit released with the search warrant documents said TBI was investigating allegations of illegal gambling in Millington in which Hodges had gambling debts and allegedly used his office to repay the debts or hold off repaying the debts.

“At this point, the state has merely presented an indictment and charged Mayor Hodges,” Parker and Patterson said Thursday in a written statement. “The indictment is a summary of the state’s theory, but it has very little detail. We look forward to learning more from the state about its theories in the case.”

They declined comment on details of the corruption case.