Probable cause crucial to defense of private activity, Gnome of Strawberry Plains says
John Ballinger is the Gnome of Strawberry Plains, Tenn., a handyman who studies law. (Photo David Tulis) The Gnome of Strawberry Plains is a carpenter, 70, who has lived all his life as a private person and who has helped Tennesseans caught in the maw of administrative law, churned up by accusations by the IRS […]
Stop and frisk, no-fly lists violate gun rights, due process
New York’s stop and frisk program was ruled unconstitutional because it lacked probable cause for the seizure of any single person. (Photo Alan.com) Despite a rancorous campaign season, there is at least one belief that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton share: Americans have far too much liberty when it comes to firearms and due process. […]
Is cop abuse about race — or power against the people?
Hanson Melvin holds up his third child, born the day of a Hamilton County, Tenn., hearing against him prompted by a perjured police report. (Photo Facebook) One of the disputes I run with a constitutionalist friend is whether police killings and cop abuse of blacks is a racial issue — or something more significant. I […]
TN town tracks residents, travelers with license plate reader
Police are using license plate reading cameras mounted on hoods, trunks and roofs. (Photo Tenthamendmentcenter.com) LEBANON, Tenn. (Sept. 23, 2016) – A small-town Tennessee police department recently deployed an automatic license plate reader system that allows officers to collect and store data on the location of drivers in the city and feed it into a […]
Child-seizing state official charged with false statement
Brenna E. Cervino of Tennessee department of children’s services has been indicted for false statements. (Photo TBI) In the Hanson Melvin case and no doubt and many others the officer reaches the standard for his “disorderly conduct” charge by faking it in his police report. The disorderly conduct statute is stretched to fit the facts […]
Will cop be held accountable in false arrest, double perjury? Pinkston mulls case
Neal Pinkston, district attorney (Photo wdef.com) I would like to follow up on my suggestion of Aug. 24. It concerns the abuse of Hanson Melvin by officer David Campbell of the Chattanooga police department. The internal affairs division of the police department is reviewing the claims Mr. Melvin has made against officer Campbell. By David […]
Necessity in TN for reform of state’s punitive machinery
A young woman in Montgomery County pays off taxes, fines or fees that were cited in a letter she received saying her driver license was being revoked. A revoked driver license is for most people a form of civil capital punishment. (Photo Newchannel5.com) Every opportunity I’ve had to speak during the 2016 campaign I’ve talked […]
Highway patrol insists vague roadblock PR obeys public notice rule
By refusing to publicize its roadblocks, Red Bank, Tenn., joins the state department of safety in violating a roadblock rule laid down in two high court opinions. (Photo city of Red Bank website) Tim Christol, police chief of Red Bank, Tenn., refuses to reveal when and where his department is imposing roadblocks this Labor Day […]
Highway patrol rejects high court rule for roadblock public notice
By refusing to publicize its roadblocks, Red Bank, Tenn., joins the state department of safety in violating a roadblock rule laid down in two high court opinions. (Photo city of Red Bank website) Tim Christol, police chief of Red Bank, Tenn., refuses to reveal when and where his department is imposing roadblocks this Labor Day […]
Grohn says as mayor would be accessible, hold cops to account
Larry Grohn is a political conservative, a Christian active in Chattanooga tea party events. He is running for mayor. (Photo David Tulis) A conservative member of Chattanooga city council is running for mayor in a field whose contestants are not yet known. Larry Grohn is an evangelical Christian and has been active in local tea […]