Corderius Godwin pleads no contest to sexual-battery counts; judge imposes six-year prison term

The court accepted no-contest pleas from Corderius Godwin resolving three pending dockets, and the judge pronounced sentence on the amended sexual-battery charges. The judge said that in docket 2020 CR351 Godwin was sentenced to six years in the Tennessee Department of Corrections, ordered to undergo standard sex-offender treatment, and to comply with sex-offender registry requirements. The court then announced additional terms on related dockets—four years in the Department of Corrections for 2020 CR192 to be suspended to community corrections after release from the first case, and an 11-month, 29-day county-jail term on a misdemeanor vandalism count to be suspended to probation, with certain counts to run concurrently and others consecutively, producing a six-year active term followed by a four-year community-corrections term. The judge also ordered restitution and court costs; the record reflects restitution amounts discussed in court (the judge referenced $373.15 on the record), though defense counsel and state counsel discussed slightly different amounts during the plea canvass.

The victim addressed the court during an impact statement. Identified in court as Ms. Hines, she described long-term emotional effects and said she had worked toward healing. In a passage she said, “I forgive you because I deserve to be free,” and later asked the defendant to live with the consequences of his actions. The judge labeled the defendant a sexual predator on the record and warned that violations of sex-offender-registration or community-corrections requirements could lead to a return to prison.

Nut graf: The proceeding closed multiple outstanding matters against Godwin by means of negotiated pleas that carry prison time, post-release supervision and sex-offender-registration obligations; the victim’s statement and the judge’s labeling of the defendant as a sexual predator were central to the sentencing moment. The court asked the state to prepare a written order reflecting the sentences and set remaining scheduling dates for related matters.

Courtroom procedure and defense confirmation: Before accepting the pleas, the judge canvassed Godwin about procedural rights—right to trial, right to counsel, presumption of innocence, and appellate rights—and the defendant confirmed he had discussed potential defenses and the range of punishments with his attorney and that his plea was voluntary. Defense counsel indicated the plea petitions were signed in open court and the parties confirmed the agreement on the record.

What’s next: The court directed the state to prepare a written order memorializing the sentencing. Remaining administrative matters (jail-credit calculations the defense said were pending) were to be addressed by the parties, and the court recessed to take up other motions on the calendar.