Hamilton County judge on special panel hearing challenge to Tennessee Sex Offender Registry law [WITH FAC COMMENTS]
Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman has presided over criminal trials in Chattanooga for nearly a quarter century.
But now, after a Tennessee Supreme Court temporary appointment made last week, the former assistant prosecutor [INTERESTING… A FORMER PROSECUTOR] will serve a stint on one of the state’s new, special three-judge panels created by state lawmakers earlier this year to hear constitutional and other challenges to state laws, rules and executive orders.
Steelman will join Davidson County Chancellor Anne C. Martin and Shelby County Criminal Court Judge J. Robert Carter Jr., also a former assistant prosecutor,[INTERESTING… ANOTHER FORMER PROSECUTOR GOT APPOINTED] with hearing and deciding one specific case, an appeal filed by a Madison County man who in 1999 pleaded guilty to reduced aggravated rape-related charges.
Martin had previously ruled against the plaintiff, Tarrance Woods, [SO A JUDGE, MARTIN, WHO PREVIOUSLY RULED AGAINST THE PLAINTIFF, WILL BE PRESIDING OVER AN APPEAL TO HER OWN DECISION? WTF? A “SPECIAL APPOINTMENT” FROM THE TENNESSEE SUPREME COURT CONSISTED OF TWO PROSECUTORS AND A JUDGE WHO WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO OVERTURN HER OWN DECISION… WHO WANTS TO BET ON THE OUTCOME OF THIS ONE?] who sued Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch and other state officials because Woods doesn’t like having his name remaining on the state’s Sex Offender Registry.
[SHAME ON TENNESSEE]
I hear banjos playing very loudly in Tennessee.
From the movie “Deliverence”?
Bob
Reminds me of Deliverance Dueling banjos LOL
I think that was based in Georgia though.
Hmmm, ‘sounds a lot like hoping for a good outcome if you bring a Registry case in front of the Roberts’ SCOTUS! 😒
If it were not for the fact it is in Tennessee, I would not believe it.
This is the type of corruption that took place with black people. If you watched the movie Selma, When Oprah’s character tried to vote, she kept getting “Denied”.
When the people in power become so self absorbed that they wear blinders to justice, it is time for them to either retire or be removed.
As a collective, we think we have power. Funny though how just one man or one woman in power, with the stroke of their pen, can redeem or destroy us. There are really good judges out there who listen.
When I finally won my appeal with judge Alan Lawson (We waited for the right judge), he was having none of the prosecutors lies and hate towards me.
He is now on the Florida court of appeals. If only I could get before him now to get off the registry. I think If I reminded him of that day and how much that meant to me, at the very least I would have his vote.
A judge should be automatically recused from taking part in a panel that involves their past judgments; ditto for prosecutors.
Given the BS of the SOR, THIS article doesn’t surprise me; being in TN makes it look more like a “good ol’ boy” club though.
Isn’t that called a “Conflict Of Interest” ?????..
That’s exactly what I thought as well. I just don’t know who would or how someone would go about to challenge the conflict of interest. It’s definitely conflict of interest. No doubt about that.
This is the type of story that challenges me the most. I’m trying hard to choose my words wisely because I want to be careful that I be true to how I feel, but also I want this to be posted. I’m a disabled vet, I have self harm issues. I’m also on the registry, that doesn’t help. There are times where I feel encouraged by articles I read, or stories on YouTube. Then these stories, take me to a bad place. I recently got a job, after a background check. I spoke to the HR person and we talked about the situation. Being 15 years ago, she was ok with hiring me. So, there is fairness in the world sometimes, even for me. Then I’m an offender in Florida, but Indiana decided I’m a predator. So, back to there bad place for the guy who regardless of any good I’ve done or still could do. Our rights in this country are gone, but no one cares. How am I expected to go on, being a good productive member of this world when none of the basic human rights are not allowed for me. I specifically said allowed. All felons who go to prison, generally, lose their rights. But many of them get rights back over time depending on where they live. But I am not allowed. Not allowed to choose who represents me in state or country. Not allowed free travel. Some places not allowed reasonable housing. Luckily, I’m broken physically and mentally and have disability with the VA. So I get money, but I couldn’t perform that job physically so it’s gone. If I am not allowed a second chance, why bother. It’s my daily struggle. One I’ve fought for many years. I’m going to do what I always do, go to bed going it’s all over one way or another. Then tomorrow I’ll probably wake up and continue with life. Hope it’s a good day and I don’t think about military stress, or registry stress. But in reality I’ll probably be up most of the night, asking why. Why am I not allowed, why me, why bother?
Tired
First off, thank you for your service. My entire family was in wars. Dad, Uncles, grandparents etc. I was born on a military base. I chose not to go into the military as I moved around enough with my Dad being in.
Secondly, have you ever tried group therapy? I first tried many private one on one therapist and all any of them did was try and control me and talk down to me. I then found a great group therapy sessions. Although mine was made up of ex sex offenders and mandated by probation, I loved it.
I was also upset when I was released from it because the therapist said I was not denying what I did and seemed open and honest. My probation officer was shocked and said “I have never seen anyone get released before the time period, are you sure you were not kicked out?”
I always asked my Dad why he never joined any of the groups like Disabled vets, the American legion or others. He said he did not want to sit around and drink beer with a bunch of guys hashing over something that cannot be changed.
Anyway, do not give up. If you cannot do it for yourself, do it for whatever loved ones you still have left. No matte what you have done, someone still loves you, even if all you have left is God.
I will keep you in my prayers.
1 Corinthians 12:26
“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
Cue the banjos…
Boss Hogg stand by…
(in the voice of Waylon Jennings): “I don’t know about y’all, but I’d say them boys had stacked the deck! Well, that’s the old south for ya!”
General Lee in mid-air…cut to commercial
No surprise to me. I met a man in Michigan prison who was there because his appeal failed when his case finally got to the state supreme court and his trial judge had been elevated to a seat on the supreme court. She didn’t recuse herself. In effect, she ruled that her own actions as the trial judge were proper. Of course, she rewrote the law to suit her opinion, adding language that didn’t exist in the law as passed by the Legislature. The traditional practice by judges was to recuse themselves whenever there was even the appearance that they might not be impartial. We can forget about that now in the age of power over integrity.
Gerald
That happened to me before I finally won a victory. A few months after my sentencing, I was pulled out of prison to go back before the same judge for a “Re-consideration”. She was having none of it and chewed both me and the lawyer out.
Sad thing is, I spent 5 months in jail with NO gain time. Then by going back to court, I was sent to a Re-processing center where I sat for another 4 months with NO gain time. Then I lost gain time when I got transferred out during re-classification and lost another 3 months.
Anyway I did not know there was such thing as judge rotation. Out of the blue my lawyer took me before the new judge who swiftly admonished the prosecutor for being “Hatefully harsh” and canceled my remaining 6 years of probation.
It has been 30 years since my crime and still being held down by the registry, that did not exist when I committed my crime, nor when arrested, nor when sentenced. The retroactive appliance of such seems evil in nature.
Anything to keep the good ole boys’ system as the status quo. Nothing surprises me anymore, but it would be nice if those in high places would do the right thing, not to line their pockets and keep the corrupt system in place.
This may not be exactly registry news but damn close. Kids having to wear ankle monitors for NO reason. The reason I am posting it is, these are the kind of people in charge of things. The push back was strong.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/news/mother-slams-horrifying-school-decision-to-make-athletes-wear-ankle-monitors/vi-AANLRow?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531
Just two good ol’ boys,
Never meaning no harm
Beats all you never saw,
Been in trouble with the law
Since the day they were born
Straightenin’ the curves,
Flattenin’ the hills
Someday the mountain might get ’em
Bur the law never will
Makin’ their way
The only way they know how
That’s just a little bit more than the law will allow
Makin’ their way
The only way they know how
That’s just a little bit more than the law will allow
I’m a good ol’ boy
My mama loves me
But she don’t understand
They keep showing my face on TVs.
Sums up the good ole boy system of the South.
This was too strange to pass up
“Parents must pay $30,441 for getting rid of son’s porn cache”
https://www.aol.com/news/parents-must-pay-30-441-150604492-192059898.html
Maybe they saved him from getting on the registry?
Could be that the father noticed CP and destroyed it, but I think it’s more of pops getting back at him for losing the case. Probably meant it more as a “well, you didn’t have to lug all the magazines and tapes when you moved” thing.
The U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled that this is unconstitutional and void. Moran v Dillingham, 174 US 153 (1899).