(WBIR) A federal judge on Monday released Leon Houston - the Roane County man twice convicted of threatening to kill his former attorney - from prison.
U.S. District Judge Pamela Reeves noted that Houston had already served 35 months in jail - 25 of those months tied to the conviction - so she set him free based on time served.
But, Reeves ordered Houston to serve two years on supervised release. During that time, he cannot own a gun "or dangerous weapon," and he cannot go within 1,000 feet of Jim Logan, his wife or their property.
Houston has a 10-year history in East Tennessee state and federal courts, including a trial in Roane County for the 2006 killings of a deputy and his ridealong friend for which Houston was ultimately acquitted.
Logan represented him in the trial. Shortly after it, the two had a falling out after Houston refused to pay Logan for his work.
In January 2013, authorities jailed Houston for being high while possessing a gun. While incarcerated he threatened Logan's life while talking on a prison phone with a girlfriend. An appeals court threw out his prior conviction in the case.
A second jury found him guilty in November during a retrial.
Based on sentencing guidelines, Houston was looking at 10-16 months in jail for the second conviction. Prosecutors sought five years instead.
In the end, Reeves compromised in that she released him from prison, but still sentenced him beyond the typical guidelines.
But, she told Houston that if he fails to follow the rules while on supervision "I will be the one who signs the warrant for your arrest."
Houston, who was shackled and wore a tan federal inmate jumpsuit, told Reeves that "I'm not a threat to anyone - I'm not a threat to Mr. Logan."
He noted that if he had a problem with someone he would take them to court rather than use violence.
Prosecutor David Jennings, however, wasn't buying it. He called Houston's apology a "facade."
"Leon Houston is Leon Houston," he said. "As he sits there, he hasn't changed."
Houston and his brother Rocky Houston have faced prosecution in area courts since the killings of the two men outside their Ten Mile home in Roane County.
The Houstons got into a gun battle, and the victims died in the deputy's vehicle, having been shot repeatedly.
Neither man was convicted in the killings. Other charges have since been filed against them.
In 2014, for example, Rocky Houston was found guilty by a federal jury of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Leon Houston was acquitted in November 2013 of using illegal drugs while possessing guns. Jurors later convicted him in the Logan case.
The Houstons have been frequent and vocal critics of law enforcement, the U.S. government and local government agencies.
