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Well-known Knoxville Attorney Arrested On Drug Charges

Knox County Sheriff's Department

Agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation arrested prominent defense attorney Bruce Poston this morning at the City-County Building.   Poston is being charged with illegally delivering painkillers on two separate occasions to the wife of a former client.  He’s also charged with one attempted delivery. The unnamed woman claims she was also receiving money from Poston, was engaged in a sexual relationship with him and alleges Poston purposely mishandled her husband's case in order to prolong his relationship with her.

A Knox County grand jury returned a presentment this morning, suggesting Poston delivered hydrocodone to the woman.  An official from the TBI tells WUOT News Poston is suspected of delivering the drugs, but there’s no evidence to suggest he attempted to sell them.   

Poston has participated in some of the area’s most well-known murder cases, including the Kenneth Bartley Campbell County school shooting (2005), the murder of a sales clerk at the Knoxville Center Mall (2008), the Eric McLean love triangle murder (2007)  and for a short time, the Christian-Newsom case (2007). 

Poston was temporarily suspended from practicing law in 2010 after he failed to respond to a misconduct complaint from a client.  At the time, Poston referred to the incident as “an honest mistake”.

Poston’s office was unavailable for comment today.