Judge: No lower bond in murder-for-hire accusation

Dottie Floyd, 29, is charged with solicitation for first-degree murder and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. She was arrested March 12 at the Dyersburg Mall after giving 120 hydrocodone pills to an undercover Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officer posing as a hit man. The medication was to serve as partial payment for her husband's murder.

Floyd appeared in Dyersburg city court Friday, April 11, and asked that her $200,000 bond be lowered. Her attorney, Cynthia Chandler-Snell of the Hobock Law Firm in Humboldt, said she believed the bond was excessive for a woman who has no history of criminal convictions. Chandler-Snell said Floyd might ultimately be eligible for diversion, a legal agreement that would place her on probation and allow her to seek dismissal of the charges if she stayed out of trouble.

Chandler-Snell presented the court with a written job offer from a company willing to hire Floyd for a minimum-wage job. Floyd had been a licensed practical nurse at Savannah Medical Center, but the Tennessee Department of Health is currently reviewing her license, the attorney said.

If her bond were reduced, Floyd could help prepare her defense and earn money to cover her legal expenses and child support, the attorney told the court. Floyd and her ex-husband, Christopher Shannon Floyd of McNairy County, have two children. After Dottie Floyd's arrest, the McNairy County General Sessions Court placed the children in their father's care and ordered Dottie Floyd to begin paying child support.

Christopher Floyd testified Friday that he and Dottie Floyd were divorced in September 2004 and had joint custody of their children. He married Sherry Nicole Floyd in October 2004.

Both Christopher Floyd and Sherry Floyd said that Dottie Ann Floyd had assaulted Sherry Floyd on May 15, 2005. The first Mrs. Floyd reportedly struck the second Mrs. Floyd during a disagreement over the children. Sherry Floyd was 7 weeks pregnant at the time, she testified. The charge against Dottie Ann Floyd was continued for some time to allow her to complete her education and to get her nursing license, Sherry Floyd said.

Chandler-Snell noted that the assault charge was dismissed.

Chandler-Snell asked Christopher Floyd if his ex-wife might have been upset about anything in particular before she was arrested. He acknowledged that one of their relatives had been raped by one of his relatives. Chandler-Snell noted that a court order preventing contact between the rapist and the victim had been lifted and the absence of that court order was a "source of great concern" for Dottie Ann Floyd.

During his testimony, Christopher Floyd also acknowledged that he had recently filed a petition to lower the child-support payments he was making.

District Attorney Phil Bivens argued against lowering Dottie Ann Floyd's bond. He said Dottie Ann Floyd's attempt to hire a hit man is not the first incident between the parties. And, he said, the assault charge wasn't enough to stop the accused from soliciting murder.

Judge Dean Dedmon said he had some real concerns about the situation and, given the circumstances, wanted the bond to stand.