Ex-Metro Councilman Gets Probation

NASHVILLE, TN -- A Davidson County judge sentenced a former Metro councilman to two years probation after his conviction for attempting to intimidate a rape and domestic violence victim into not testifying.

Loniel Greene, who was elected to the Metro Council to represent District 1 in 2015, was found guilty of coercion of a witness in May. His cousin, Tavares Buchanan, was convicted of rape and aggravated assault against the mother of his children and was sentenced to 10 years on those charges plus another three on the coercion conviction.

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During the bench trial, prosecutors played hours of taped conversations between Greene and Buchanan after the latter was jailed following his 2016 rape and aggravated assault arrest.

"I'll work on her," Greene told Buchanan on the tapes, which emerged just months after he was elected to the council. "You need a team-based approach, and your team is in place."

The victim testified that Greene told her the family would cut her off if she went forward with the charges.

Greene, who previously admitted to lying about Buchanan's bond payment, ultimately resigned from the council and was disbarred.

Coincidentally, Jonathan Hall won a runoff in the special election to represent District 1, the second person to represent the sprawling North Nashville ward since Greene's resignation.

Photo via Metro Nashville Police