Commoners take licks, hope for best as Marceaux argues before Judge Lasley
Basil Marceaux, the night’s most noted defendant, argues a point in Soddy-Daisy sessions court Tuesday as Judge Marty Lasley waits to fire back. (Photo David Tulis) Sessions court meets every Tuesday in the north Hamilton County town of Soddy-Daisy, its judge mild mannered but coming to the bench with a list of minimum expectations. (Photo […]
Gardenhire kills ‘constitutional carry’ by ‘blowing smoke,’ Harris says
Sen. Todd Gardenhire takes the GOP establishment’s position against the right to bear arms. (Photo Nashvillepublicradio.org) On March 8, 2016, Sen. Todd Gardenhire helped kill so-called constitutional carry in Tennessee in a Senate judiciary committee vote. Or nonvote. Sen. Gardenhire declined to say yay or nay on the proposal that would have allowed all law-abiding […]
A night in Soddy-Daisy city court: Lasley corrals herd of petty defendants
A murder defendant stands before Judge Mart Lasley in Soddy-Daisy city court in 2012. Most defendants appear for victimless petty offenses. (Photo VLB Productions on YouTube) The ugly spat between Brittney Parker and Roy Corder, 29, continues in a neon-lit courtroom in Soddy-Daisy, with the judge playing uncle and scold and town cops tossing in […]
GOP’s Gardenhire won’t lift pinkie for right to bear arms in Tennessee
On March 8, 2016, Sen. Todd Gardenhire killed so-called constitutional carry in Tennessee in a Senate judiciary committee vote. Or nonvote. The senator “passed” on a proposal that would have allowed all law-abiding citizens of Tennessee to carry a firearm on their person without giving first an OK and a license from Gov. Haslam’s department […]
Gardenhire rejects right to bear arms in gun vote ‘pass’
Sen. Todd Gardenhire, “establishment” Republican Senator Mark Green presented his constitutional carry bill (SB1483) Tuesday in the Senate Judiciary committee but it failed thanks to Chattanooga Sen. Todd Gardenhire, a Republican. The bill would have, as amended, imposed only the burden on a citizen of obtaining at least eight hours of training from any state […]
Immunity laws let ‘the good people’ exist above rest of us
A bill in the general assembly proposes giving Tennessee National Guard members immunity if they are accused in a tort action. The bill breezed through the Senate. Why immunity? “Complete and absolute immunity is required for the free exercise and discharge of the duties” of members or staff of such agencies. “Members *** must be […]
With reforms, Christ will be brought back into courtrooms
Judges and juries in the Hamilton County, Tenn., court building dispense verdicts and opinions. Many are just. (Photo David Tulis) True servants of the Lord Jesus Christ confess that He is the Creator God of heaven and earth, Redeemer of mankind, Judge of all the earth, and King of kings and Lord of lords. All […]
Bill would limit U.S. smog-producing program in skies of Rhode Island
Chattanooga receives a treatment of jet-deposited aerosols Feb. 18, 2016. (Photo Blacky Darr) Knoxville is crisscrossed with jet plumes of a nighttime, Jan. 24, 2016. I have seen over the skies of Soddy-Daisy such interventions that are said to prevent radiative heat from the earth’s surface from escaping into space. (Photo Marla Stair-Wood) Treatments from […]
Local vote affects city future; national vote shares in delusions
Candidates for judge such as Mike Little of Chattanooga are susceptible to the public’s interest by standing for election. Mr. Little awaits results of the day’s balloting for criminal court judge in Hamilton County, Tenn. (Photo Facebook) Soddy-Daisy voters line up to insert their ballots into a state-owned machine that tallies their preferences on Super […]
Is a defense attorney or public prosecutor likely to be a better criminal court judge?
Why a defense attorney probably makes a better criminal court judge than a state prosecutor. In Hamilton County, Tenn., Boyd Patterson prosecutes for the state, and Mike Little (now in the public defender’s office) defends the accused. They are challenging a politically appointed incumbent, Tom Greenholtz. Mr. Little, despite shortcomings, says criminal court is “independent of everybody. […]