City council rapt as Gray tells of iffy arrest, injuries to girl
Avery Gray, center, talks with broadcast journalist Marie Mott and Isaiah Moore, a repentant and married former gang member. (Photo David Tulis) A tearful Avery Gray recounts to entranced city council the arrest of her daughter in June, dragged by a city cop from a parked car downtown in a legally sketchy arrest. Mrs. Gray […]
Police powers notice to fight for place in county records
Police officers in Chattanooga conduct a transportation stop against a traveler who, under legal presumption only, is involved in transportation. (Photo David Tulis) County attorney Rheubin Taylor and county register Marc Gravitt are resisting entry into the county record books a document called transportation administrative notice. The notice has powerful implications for police and sheriff […]
Notice project exploits fissure between law, TN policy, creates cause of action
People chat in front of Chattanooga city hall, wherein Mayor Andy Berke has been advised of the limits of Tenn. Code Ann. § Title 55 and asked to halt enforcement against noncommercial users of the roadways such as hiphop artist “C-Grimey” Cameron Williams, photo below, giving me an interview at Wildflower Cafe, a man whose […]
Journalist-teacher fights for driver license as system gridlocks on poor
Keelah Jackson is under a civil death sentence. The state tells this city court petitioner she cannot use a car privately, but must buy a license to drive or operate a car in commerce. But she is too poor to pay court fees and fines to end a state block on her getting a driver […]
Prosecution of nonviolent Gray girl, 14, cover for 2 wrongs by cop
A repo man checks the VIN of a car he is about to seize in a noisy confrontation with the daughter of the debtor, who is dragged from the car by a city police officer in the sort of “breach of the peace” forbidden under Tennessee’s collateral repossession statute. (Photo police YouTube video) Dear Neal […]
Small towns, big cities should mind limits of Title 55: Only transportation subject to cop controls
Police in cities great and small in Tennessee have authority to enforce the transportation law at Tenn. Code Ann. Title 55 upon transportation — namely, trucking and shipping. Small towns such as East Ridge, Red Bank, Soddy-Daisy should be careful about limits of law on their police activities. (Photo Courtesy NoogaRadio) TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATIVE NOTICE AS […]
2 words from judges Poole, Statom could solve jail crowding crisis today
Judge Lila Statom deals with defendant Taylor Satterfield in sessions court in a case that was sent to the grand jury. (Photo Dan Kennedy Wrcbtv.com) Criminalization of non-criminal behavior and examples of bad behavior and misjudgement is pushing Hamilton County into a jail funding and jail crowding crisis, the pressure of which is intensifying. The […]
McMinn criminal court judge seals Fitzpatrick’s public ‘grand jury’ report
By Sharon Rondeau / The Post & Email (Jul. 29, 2017) — On Saturday, Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III received in the mail an order from McMinn County, Tenn., Criminal Court Judge Sandra Donaghy indicating that an alleged report produced by a three-person panel of the county grand jury was filed “under seal” so as to […]
TVA roadside traffic stops, arrests ‘provide value’ for people
TVA cop Scott E. Stone has used an LPR to seize a family traveling in Chattanooga to question them about a mismatched motor vehicle tag on their car July 22, 2017. (Photo David Tulis) A woman explains why a tag on the back of her car is mismatched on state records to an officer (barely […]
Marceaux says court loss really a win; ‘criminal’ case heard in civil court
Basil Marceaux, defendant provocateur, and town attorney Sam Elliott in Hamilton County circuit court. (Photo David Tulis) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (May 22, 2017) — Court reform activist Basil Marceaux’ offers a mix of high-flying, historical and quirky arguments in a court that would have instantly booted him if his attack on the legal status quo […]