So what happened? What were the accusations against Godbee? It turns out, the counsel for the Board of Professional Responsibility placed on board a sworn statement from a female client of Godbee given to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. In the sworn statement, Sheila Pearson graphically details multiple sexual escapades – mentions that Godbee represented her in exchange for sex and paid her more for bringing in other women to have sex.
Pearson, of Rogersville wrote in her statement, “Everyone knows that Doug Godbee will represent girls for sex, and he will pay them for sex.” Pearson said that she initially paid Godbee $100, after she was arrested for felony theft. Then she started administering oral sex to Godbee for handling her own case and a case against her son. Then Godbee began paying her $100 for oral sex and $40 for each additional woman she brought to him to have sex.
Godbee maintains, “I never had any sexual relations of any kind with Ms. Pearson … Sheila Pearson has never performed oral sex on me … Ms. Pearson is alleging that ‘everyone knows' about the lies she has told about me. I don't know how to respond to such a crazy allegation.”
However, Reuters Summary Judgments reports, “This is not the first time Godbee has been in trouble. He resigned as prosecutor in 2006 and 2010 after reports surfaced that he was having improper relationships with people involved in cases he had prosecuted. He was ultimately fired in 2011 after being indicted on charges of trading sexual favors for lenient sentences and favorable plea deals.”
