Advocates rejoice after news of Mindy Dodd’s clemency in TN

By MARISSA SULEK

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    SMRYNA, Tennessee (WSMV) — Gov. Bill Lee grants clemency to more than a dozen people in the Tennessee prison system, including Mindy Dodd.

Dodd was convicted of murdering her husband, also her stepfather, almost 20 years ago in Smyrna.

Dodd is one of 17 people Governor Lee granted clemency to on Thursday. She’s one of three people granted commutation to immediate parole eligibility. Advocates and lawmakers said Dodd was a victim of child rape and domestic violence.

For 20 years, Dodd has been an inmate at the West Tennessee State Penitentiary. For Heather Meshell, an advocate for Mindy Dodd and her case, Dodd was a phone call away.

“We communicate with Mindy weekly,” Meshell said.

Meshell said she’s been working with Dodd since 2020. She started an online petition called #FreeMindy with the Love and Justice Project after the Board of Parole granted Dodd unanimous recommendation.

“She was a victim of child rape and domestic violence,” Meshell said. “So, that’s something we really highlighted in her case, and we were able to mobilize advocates and people who work to prevent violence and understand violence and that type of trauma around supporting her.”

Dodd was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of her husband, Henry Dodd in Smyrna.

“He met Mindy when she was six,” Meshell explained. “And started raping her at 8.”

Thursday, the governor granted Dodd parole eligibility. It’s news Meshell has fought for the last year.

“She gave me a call and said ‘call me quick,’” Tennessee State Senator Ed Jackson (District 27 – R) said.

Jackson is the chairman of correction and works with Meshell on Dodds case. He said he’s visited Dodd at her facility.

“She’s working with other inmates that are there that maybe don’t have quite the same attitude, good attitude, that she has in trying to help them out,” Jackson said.

It’s the help Meshell said Dodd wants to continue when she’s released.

“She wants to work with legislators and people on the hill to make sure that what happened to her doesn’t continue to happen and that victims have the right to service that they need,” Meshell said.

Meshell said Dodd’s whole family is waiting for her to come home. The next step for Dodd is to go to the Board of Parole, which Meshell said will be soon.

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