For Immediate Release
March 9, 2004

Nashville, TN-Jim and Mary Nottingham whose son Robbie was killed at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) last March 21st will be present Wednesday morning when the state House of Representative's Judiciary Committee votes on legislation stemming from that incident. The "Robbie's Law" bill (HB 2753, SB 2797), sponsored by Rep. Nathan Vaughn (D-Kingsport) and Sen. Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville), will require campus security to call in the local police on campus death and rape investigations. It unanimously passed in the Senate last week.

The House Judiciary Committee meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 AM (Central Time) this Wednesday, March 10th in House Hearing Room 16 on the Legislative Plaza in Nashville. Robbie's Law, formally known as the "Robert 'Robbie' Nottingham Campus Crime Scene Investigation Act of 2004," is the first bill on the agenda.

The Nottinghams will be available outside the hearing room after the committee votes to speak with members of the media. S. Daniel Carter, a Knoxville based expert on campus security matters and the Vice President of Security On Campus, Inc., a non-profit victim assistance organization, will also be available.

Robbie Nottingham died from head trauma, apparently suffered after falling from a balcony at his on-campus apartment, but an investigation conducted by the ETSU Department of Public Safety was unable to conclusively determine whether the death was a homicide, suicide, or accident. Nottingham's family believes foul play was involved, and an independent investigation conducted for them by A.M. Brown, an experienced criminal investigator, revealed numerous problems with the investigation including the failure to retrieve surveillance video of the area before it was recorded over.

The Nottingham family has established a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest, and conviction of anyone responsible for the possible murder of Robbie Nottingham. Anyone with information about Robbie's death may report it anonymously by calling 1-888-251-7959 or visiting http://www.robbienottingham.com/ on the world wide web.