Cleotha Abston rape conviction upheld by Appeals Court
Cleotha Abston (in court in 2024) who also pleaded guilty to the 2022 murder of local schoolteacher Eliza Fletcher, was convicted last year for raping Alicia Franklin a year before killing Fletcher. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals has denied the appeal of Cleotha Abston’s rape conviction last year.
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Cleotha Abston Eliza Fletcher Alicia FranklinAarron Fleming
Aarron Fleming covers public safety for The Daily Memphian, focusing on crime and the local court system. He earned his bachelor’s in journalism and strategic media from the University of Memphis.
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