Blackburn plea: to ‘save my daddy and sister’
District 4 council member pleaded guilty to one count of animal cruelty tied to cattle investigation that began Dec. 16
8:57 p.m. June 12, 2026
District 4 council member Peggy Sue Blackburn
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
Peggy Sue Blackburn agreed to a plea deal Friday in Moore County General Sessions Court, pleading guilty to one count of animal cruelty and receiving one year of supervised probation.
Blackburn said she accepted the plea to protect her father and sister from the cost and strain of continuing the case.
“I took a plea because it saved my daddy and sister,” Blackburn said Friday. “It would have cost another $20,000 to fight it. I don’t have that. We’d have to sell the farm.
“I plead guilty, and now they don’t have to worry. I did what I thought was best – for me and the family. I don’t want them to suffer no more.”
The plea was handled through judicial diversion, a provision of Tennessee law available to certain qualified defendants. Under Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) § 40-35-313, a judge may defer further proceedings and place a defendant on probation without entering a formal judgment of guilt.
If Blackburn successfully completes the one-year probationary period, the charge may be dismissed and eligible for expungement. If she violates probation, the court may enter a judgment of guilt and proceed with sentencing.
As part of her probation, Blackburn cannot feed cattle. She may continue working on the farm, but feeding the animals is off limits during the probationary period.
The related animal cruelty charges against Billy Joe Blackburn and Billie Patrice Blackburn were set aside Friday, according to statements made in court. If Peggy Sue Blackburn violates probation, those charges may be refiled.
Friday’s hearing drew about 20 onlookers to General Sessions Court at the Moore County Courthouse.
Blackburn, a District 4 member of the Metro Council, was charged earlier this year after an investigation involving cattle on Dog Tail Road in Moore County and Womack Ridge Road in Shelbyville. The case began Dec. 16, 2025, after an anonymous complaint about the condition of cattle at those locations, according to the earlier incident report.
The report said authorities observed injured cattle in a pen on Dog Tail Road and two dead cattle on Womack Ridge Road. The Tennessee State Veterinarian’s Office also responded during the investigation.
Blackburn previously denied neglect, saying the allegations stemmed from politics, personal targeting, and a misunderstanding of how her family feeds and manages a large cattle operation. She and two relatives – Billy Joe Blackburn and Billie Patrice Blackburn – were each listed in the incident report as facing one count of animal cruelty under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-14-202.
The case also required an outside judge. General Sessions Judge Terry Gregory recused himself Jan. 20 because both he and Blackburn are Moore County officials. After that recusal, the Administrative Office of the Courts assigned Coffee County General Sessions Judge Gerald Ewell to hear the case.
The case was originally scheduled for April 9 before being postponed until Friday.
Animal cruelty under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-14-202 can include intentionally or knowingly failing to provide an animal with necessary food, water, care, or shelter. The charge in Blackburn’s case was tied to cattle, not companion animals.
Blackburn now has one year to comply with supervised probation. If she completes it, the charge may be dismissed, and she may be eligible for expungement. If she violates the terms, the court may enter judgment on the animal cruelty charge, and the related charges against Billy Joe Blackburn and Billie Patrice Blackburn may be refiled.