In the winter of 1978, the community of Pulaski, Tennessee, was shaken by the violent death of a dedicated public servant. On the night of January 25th, Giles County Deputy Sheriff Henry Herbert 'Hub' Slayton, a 65-year-old male, was on duty when he encountered a car stopped in the middle of a rural road. In what would be his final communication, he radioed to dispatch that he was stopping to investigate the vehicle. Minutes later, Deputy Slayton was found deceased in a nearby ditch, having been shot multiple times.
The investigation into the death of Deputy Slayton quickly led to a suspect, a 23-year-old man from Pulaski named Johnny E. Powell. Following his arrest, Powell was charged with the murder of the veteran lawman. He was held without bond in the Giles County Jail as the legal proceedings against him commenced. The case moved forward with a preliminary hearing scheduled to determine if there was enough evidence to proceed to a full trial.
During his trial, Johnny E. Powell took the stand in his own defense, recounting his version of the tragic events. He testified that he had been in his car after having a couple of beers when Deputy Slayton approached him. Powell claimed a struggle ensued after he initially refused to get into the deputy's patrol car, stating he did not realize at first that Slayton was a law enforcement officer. According to Powell, the confrontation escalated dramatically, with Slayton drawing his weapon and threatening him. Powell asserted that he then pulled his own gun and fired in self-defense. The prosecution presented a different view, arguing that some of the shots that struck Deputy Slayton were fired after he had already fallen, hitting him in the back.
