THE TENNESSEE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS IN KNOXVILLE HAS UPHELD THE CONVICTION OF AN ELIZABETHTON MAN IN THE KILLING OF A STORE CLERK. WILLIAM MATNEY PUTNAM WAS CONVICTED OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER OF ANGELA MONTGOMERY. HE HAD SOUGHT POST CONVICTION RELIEF CLAIMING TO HAVE HAD INEFFECTIVE COUNSEL WHEN HE ENTERED A NO CONTEST PLEA AND RECEIVED A SENTENCE OF LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE. HE WAS LATER RESENTENCED TO LIFE WITH PAROLE AFTER FILING A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS. IN HIS MOST RECENT ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE CONVICTION GO AWAY, PUTNAM CLAIMED HE HAD BEEN ADVISED TO ENTER INTO AN ILLEGAL PLEA AGREEMENT. THE APPELATE COURT FOUND HIS CLAIM TO BE INVALID.