Tennessee man who killed 8 gets life in prison in surprise plea deal after new evidence surfaces

By TRAVIS LOLLER
Associated Press

GALLATIN, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee man who killed eight people in rural Westmoreland over several days in April 2019, has pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder in exchange for a sentence of life without parole. Michael Cummins admitted to the murders in court Wednesday. The victims included his parents, his uncle and a 12-year-old girl. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty in the case. Speaking on Wednesday, District Attorney General Ray Whitley said a brain scan of Cummins showed “significant problems.” Whitley says defense attorneys could have used the scans to try to convince a jury not to sentence Cummins to death. A judge had previously ruled Cummins did not have an intellectual disability.