Judge Rules in Councilwoman Coonrod’s Favor in residency question

(CHATTANOOGA) – Judge Michael Dumitru has ruled in favor of City Council member Demetrius Coonrod in her residency challenge.

She currently represents District 9 covering East Chattanooga on the council.

The challenge was whether she moved out of the district when she bought property in a neighborhood in the Harrison area.

An anonymous source alerted her fellow council members of the new property.

The question for the judge is does she live at her old address or the newer one.

She told a city investigator that she bought the new home with the intent of moving into it when her time on the city council was done.

Until then she wanted to use it as a short-term vacation rental.

But instead, she allowed a family member to move in when her father became seriously ill.

After hearing testimony last week, the Judge ruled that the city did not prove their case that Councilwoman Coonrod actually never moved into the new residence, so he dismissed the complaint and ruled that Demetrius Coonrod is a resident of Moss Street as of now.

Coonrod is currently running in the Democratic Primary to unseat Tennessee Representative Yusuf Hakeem on August 1st.