Update: Shooting case to keep businessman away from ORNL

A shooting by a prominent businessman will keep him away from the site of some of his large contracts, at least temporarily.

Troy D. Whiteside no longer has access to Oak Ridge National Laboratory property.

"We've revoked his badge," said Spokesman Ron Walli. That is standard policy when someone is charged with a felony.

Whiteside and his wife own MPI Business Solutions. The company has multi-million dollar contracts with UT-Battelle, the organization that runs ORNL.

The revocation of Whiteside's badge has no impact on access for other MPI Business Solutions employees.

DAG recuses self from prosecuting

The Knox County District Attorney General won't prosecute a prominent Knoxville businessman.

Randy Nichols is taking himself off the case, so the state will appoint a prosecutor from another county.

Troy Whiteside is charged with second degree murder in the fatal shooting of Stacey Sudderth in East Knoxville last month.

Whiteside was on the docket to be arraigned Tuesday morning.

However, when the family of the victim showed up in court they found out Whiteside was already arraigned at the jail Monday afternoon.

Their attorney claims they should have gotten notice.

"Secret unannounced hearings have no place in our judicial system," Attorney Herb Moncier said.

Moncier represents Sudderth's family in a multimillion dollar civil lawsuit against Whiteside.

Tuesday morning, he filed a motion to void Monday's arraignment and bond reduction.

"The victim's family shall be given notice of hearings of this type," Moncier said, citing Tennessee Code.

Special Counsel for the Knox County District Attorney General, John Gill, said, "I'm sorry for the confusion this morning but sometimes these things happen when you have 40,000 cases."

The Knox County District Attorney General's office won't be working on this case. DAG Randy Nichols is recusing himself because Whiteside is a political supporter.

His office originally recommended bond for Whiteside at $50,000, an amount that's typical for this kind of case.

"The judicial commissioner, for whatever reason, set it at $750,000," Gill said. "He made that by putting his house up, and we agreed to reduce it back to what the original recommendation was. He's a local person, he's not going anywhere."

So the $750,000 bond is now back to $50,000.

Whiteside's attorney was not available Tuesday, but last week he explained Sudderth had threatened his client and Whiteside acted in self defense.

"Troy acted in a reasonable belief that he was saving his life," Attorney Greg Isaacs said.

According to court documents, "The defendant (Whiteside) shot at the victim (Suddereth) over ten times. The victim was struck several times."

"Stacey was unarmed as he is always unarmed and known in the community not to carry weapons," Moncier said.

Sudderth was barred from carrying a gun because he has a felony drug conviction.

Whiteside has a gun carry permit and no criminal record.

His next court appearance is October 26th.