Criminal justice reform in Tennessee is a conversation worth having
[ad_1]
Hello Knoxville Soul readers,
It’s spring break for Knox County Schools, so I am looking forward to spending some time with my daughter. She is a fifth grader at Pond Gap Elementary.
As warmer temperatures are on the horizon, minus any looming snow that will hopefully keep its distance, I am looking forward to getting outdoors and taking full advantage of festival season in Knoxville.
The highlight of my week was talking with formerTennessee Gov. Bill Haslam andCyntoia Brown-Long about their first public event together since he granted her clemency in 2019. They took part in a discussion Tuesday on criminal justice reform at Vanderbilt University.
Brown-Long was tried as an adult in the Tennessee criminal justice system and found guilty of first-degree murder when she was 16. She had been the victim of human trafficking and shot a man during a sex exchange. Her fate was a mandatory 51 years in prison before she could be eligible for parole. Haslam granted her freedom.
Before I worked for Knox News, I had the opportunity to meet and interview Cyntoia after she was released from prison.
I have been thankful to maintain an ongoing relationship with her and keep up with her life post-incarceration over the past couple of years.
It is fulfilling to see the redemption in Cyntoia’s life and how it has led to deeper conversations around restorative justice.
Before becoming a reporter, I volunteered for organizations advocating against mass incarceration, and I’m passionate about the cause. In Tennessee, we have a lot to think about.
Juvenile justice hot topic in Tennessee
Our state has some of the harshest sentencing for minors who are convicted of murder in adult court. Under Tennessee law, a minor has to serve at least 51 years of a life sentence.
Just two weeks ago, I sat in Knox County juvenile court and witnessed a judge’s decision to try a 15-year-old as an adult. It’s happening all across our state.
The movement to reform juvenile sentencing has gained momentum in recent years as scientific research has revealed differences between teen and adult brains.
Brown-Long’s case didn’t end up changing state law. However, the Tennessee Supreme Court is considering whether to end strict life sentences for juveniles.
If Tennessee’s sentencing laws are found to be unconstitutional, it could provide a path out of prison for all the other Tennesseans sentenced to life as juveniles.
Cyntoia told me she hopes to one day talk with Gov. Bill Lee about criminal justice reform.
“I hope to have a very open and honest conversation about the way things are currently in Tennessee. I hope that it encourages our current Gov. Bill Lee to take a second look at the way things are in our state, especially around the subject of juvenile justice,” she said.
BasketVols win SEC Championship
Don’t forget to send me your ideas, requests, questions and commentary.
Enjoying Knoxville Soul? Please share the signup link with others: knoxnews.com/newsletters.
Catch y’all next week!
Angela Dennis is the social justice, race and equity reporter at Knoxville News Sentinel/ USA TODAY Network Tennessee. Email her at an***********@kn******.com, call her at (865) 407-9712. You can follow her on Twitter: @AngeladWrites; Instagram: @angeladenniswrites; and Facebook: Angela Dennis Journalist
[ad_2]
Source link
