Remember back in 2021, when ole #10 at Large Commissioner was the Chair of the Knox County Commission. When he showed how temperamental he really is, as Chair he took liberties of making the anti maskers address County Commission from the balcony. The one night he attempted to adjourn the meeting, but NONE of the other 10 Commissioners (there are eleven, he is simply next to last in the order) would second his motion to adjourn so the meeting moved on into the early morning hours but not before he cut the live stream feed.
Let’s go back to April 19, 2021 (one week after the death of Anthony Thompson, Jr. in an Austin East High School bathroom) at the end of a service weapon of a Knoxville Police Officer. Yes, Thompson, Jr. had a gun in his hoodie. The initial facts of the incident were not accurate, but all the facts and the body cams revealed the truth. One week after the incident the body cams were sealed for the investigation. The community wanted answers, Knox County Commission was the first government body to meet.
Seven individuals were arrested after interrupting the Commission meeting. As I recall the incident from three years ago (I was watching the live stream) there was no warning from the Chair of Commission to the ones creating a disturbance, the Chair simply recessed the meeting and the seven were immediately arrested. Three of the seven have settled with the prosecution for plea deals, they are Kevin Andrews, Carrie Hopper and Mary Winter.
This to me is a Free Speech, Political Speech case. Do I blame the law enforcement that arrested them? NO! They were ordered, I would presume from the Chair of the Commission. A reasonable man would conclude that the Commission Chair is the one to order the arrest of the seven.
Sadly, this blog is a small business that is not my full-time day job. So until the trial concludes, you can catch the details from a couple of writers from the Big Metal Shed on the Hill. Here is the first story, it is behind a paywall. So, I am sorry, it isn’t free (like mine). Thanks to a few advertisers support that keeps my site free.
Any time a jury is seated, it is suppose to be a jury of your peers. I hope for Every, Skinner, Guinn and Valentine they are in facts judged by a jury of their peers. Judge Thomas is a fair Judge from all I have heard, he is retired and is from a neighboring community. So here is hoping for the best for all….
