TN - The Insanity of the SOR

The following was sent to us via the "Tell Us Your Story" form and posted with the users permission.

By Freedom Lost:
I pled guilty to a charge of sexual battery in 2001. The "alleged" crime was against a women I lived with and had consensual sexual relations with. I pled guilty because of a little practice called prosecutorial blackmail. They used other charges with threat of maximum time to coerce a guilty plea. Nevertheless, that is not my story; In 2010 approaching the 10 year termination from the sex offender registry I contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation requesting release from the registry. The first letter of response indicated all that was required was for me to go personally to a field office and submit fingerprints. I was incarcerated for unrelated charges and could not immediately comply. The following year pending my release I again wrote a letter requesting termination. I was informed that I would not be eligible for termination until April 20, 2020 more than 19 years after conviction. I have proof of registration and the State has stipulated in court documents that I was registered without violation in 2007 (ONLY BECAUSE I HAD A COMPUTER PRINTOUT FROM THE T.B.I. WEBSITE WITH MY PICTURE ON IT)

I began litigating this case pro-se in 2011 in Federal Court, that case is on hold pending state process. I filed a petition in State court in December 2013. I am still waiting for a decision. The states most recent position is that I was release without serving the one year sentence of my conviction. How could I be registered if I had never served the sentence? I now have an attorney and will continue to fight this case all the way back to Federal Court if necessary. If anyone has advice, resources, or input. Please post to this website. I have considered going to the media (20/20 or even Dr. Phil) This case needs media exposure so people will know the kinds of things the states are doing.

Thank you for you time and interest.

TN - Former MPD officer (Brandon Berry) charged with misconduct

Brandon Berry

Original Article

02/07/2014

MEMPHIS (FOX13) - An accused dirty cop is back in court this morning.

Former MPD officer Brandon Berry is accused of forcing men to perform sex acts in exchange for not arresting them.

A complaint was filed against Berry in January 2013.

A victim went to the MPD Sex Crimes Bureau and reported that during traffic stop on Lamar Avenue, Berry told him he wouldn't go to jail if he performed a sex act with him.

The victim ID'd the former policeman in a photo line-up.

Berry resigned from the MPD in May, after three years on the force.

Then in June he was indicted by a Shelby County Grand Jury on one count of official misconduct.

The rest of the details of the case won't be made public until the case goes to trial.

TN - Innocent man has record wiped clean after 31 years in prison

Original Article

01/27/2014

By Dennis Ferrier

NASHVILLE (WSMV) - An innocent man imprisoned for 31 years, who has been trying to get his record cleared since he was released four years ago, finally got his day in court Monday and is now a man without a criminal record.

_____ had been falsely accused of rape and burglary in 1977 in Memphis.

DNA evidence showed he was never on the scene and had nothing to do with the crime, and 31 years into the sentence, the district attorney and judge released him from custody.

But getting his record wiped clean had been a much more difficult struggle.

The Memphis district attorney had _____'s record expunged on Monday.

_____ and his wife, _____, have been waiting for this day for years. It was such big news that people from Immanuel Baptist Church in Lebanon left work just to come and congratulate him.

"It was done in 15 seconds. Thirty-five years of wrongfully labeling this man was undone in 15 seconds. There really is a sermon there. It was very emotional. It's like a family member's been freed," said the Rev. John Hunn of Immanuel Baptist Church.

_____ attends Bible study five days a week and can now go on a mission trip with Immanuel Baptist Church that before he could only dream about.

Plus, he can now vote again.

"He has had a hard life," _____ said. "He just went through everything and then he couldn't get a job. My children think there is nothing like him. They call him 'Pops.' I never thought I'd meet anybody like him. He is just different. I like to think God saved him just for me."

_____ first walked into Immanuel Baptist Church on a Wednesday night, and things really changed after that. Hunn got him a job at Lifeway Christian Resources, everyone learned his story and witnessed his grace and, now, they see his triumph.

"You got to walk and put God in your heart. You put love in your heart, God can turn bad into good," _____ said.

TN - 'Operation Blackout' to protect children from sex offenders

Original Article

They make it sound like this affects all ex-sex offenders, but we are willing to bet that this affects only those on probation / parole only.

10/28/2013

By Lauren Squires

MEMPHIS - This Halloween, thousands of children will take the streets and their safety is key. If the Tennessee Department of Corrections has anything to do with it, sex offenders will not be anywhere near them.

No candy, costumes, decorations, or front porch lights are only a few of the rules given to sex offenders on Halloween for Operation Blackout.

Safety is always top of mind for parents this time of year.

"All our children should be kept safe, not just mine, but everybody's," stated mother Adrinne Akpan.

This is why hundreds of families flocked to trunk or treat at the Highland Church of Christ Sunday night.

"This is so much easier and more fun. We're members here at Highland Church of Christ and we love coming to trunk or treat," stated mother Anna Fagala.

Fagala and her family, dressed as three little pigs and the big bad wolf, are making events like the one at Highland Church of Christ the new norm.

"I think that, over the years, trick or treating in neighborhoods has kind of gone by the wayside because of safety issues," explained Fagala.

But, this 2013 year, law enforcement is taking notice and cracking down on sex offenders. The department of correction is teaming up with other agencies and the US Marshals to keep your kids safe.
- Not really, it's just the yearly mass hysteria and PR campaign so the police can come out and pretend they are actually doing something, but, not a single child has ever been harmed by a known or unknown sexual offender on this night!  It's fear-mongering and panic based on emotions and not facts.  The fact is that kids are more likely to be hit by a car than anything else.

"Well, we might go trick or treating after all. We've never done it before," said Akpan.

Law enforcement officials will make random visits to make sure sex offenders are following strict guidelines. They include the following:

• Remain inside home between hours of 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
• Leave porch lights off on Halloween night
• Do not open doors for trick-or-treaters
• Only open doors for law enforcement officers (If you are not on probation / parole, then you don't have to open your door to anybody!)
• Do not display fall decorations, wear costumes, or dress in disguises

"Maybe foster a new time of people to maybe go trick or treating in their neighborhoods again. (It) was always fun when I was a kid," exclaimed Fagala.

Many residents are hoping extra enforcement will be the trick to making this holiday a treat.

The Department of Correction is warning sex offenders, if any of these rules are violated, they could face more charges.

However, TDOC officials are asking for your help as well. If you see anything suspicious, report it immediately.

TN - Ex-police officer (Jason Paul Jones) pleads to lesser rape charge for illegal sexual encounter with a 16-year-old boy

Jason Paul Jones

Original Article

05/06/2013

By RIC BOHY

A former Mt. Pleasant police officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to a reduced charge of statutory rape for an illegal sexual encounter with a 16-year-old boy and was placed on five years of probation.

Jason Paul Jones, 25, of Columbia, was originally charged with the more serious offense of statutory rape by an authority figure, a Class C felony carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison without the possibility of probation and a fine of up to $10,000.

The lesser charge of statutory rape is a Class E felony with potential penalties of one-six years in prison, and it permits probation, according to Maury County District Attorney General Mike Bottoms, who negotiated the plea deal.

In pleading guilty, Jones waived his right to have a grand jury hear the evidence against him, Bottoms explained.

“He wanted to put it behind him and pled to the charge,” Bottoms said, “and the victim wanted the case to be settled. The child is not doing real well with it, and the family wanted to put it behind him.”

“It’s an unusual situation, but the family did not want to go through trial with the child,” Bottoms said.

The guilty plea, accepted by Maury Circuit Judge Stella Hargrove, puts Jones on supervised probation for two years and, if he does not violate its terms, another three years without supervision, Bottoms said. Jones is also required to enter the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Sex Offender Registry and comply with its terms for 10 years, Bottoms continued.

If he violates probation, which includes a no-contact order prohibiting him from having any contact with his victim, Jones will have to serve two years in prison. In any event, he will have a record as a convicted felon, Bottoms said, and he cannot apply to have his record expunged.

“That won’t go away, so he won’t be a police officer or anything like that anymore,” Bottoms said.

Jones served with the Mt. Pleasant Police Department for about two years, including time as a reserve officer, and was assigned to the K-9 unit working on the night shift when he was fired over the rape charge.

His attorney, Kevin Latta, could not be reached for comment Monday.