Listen Editor’s note: On Friday night, a judge postponed Matthew Charles’s hearing. See the update here. Last year, a Nashville man got an unlikely chance at redemption. Matthew Charles walked out of a federal prison a decade before the end of his term, after the Obama administration reduced the minimum sentence guidelines for dealing crack. […]
What Could A Community Oversight Board For Police Accomplish In Nashville?
Listen A proposal to create a community oversight board — an independent agency with the right to investigate citizen complaints about police — has been the subject of heated debate in Nashville. Activists, lawyers and some members of the City Council have been working for months on drafting legislation that will be up for second […]
Nashville’s Prosecutor and Public Defender Don’t See Eye To Eye On Cash Bail Policies
Listen The city’s top prosecutor and top public defender don’t agree on what bail reform might look like in Nashville. The two legal officials presented their views at a public forum this week. Money bail has been a recurring topic for proponents of criminal justice reform who say it keeps poor citizens in jail longer […]
Mothers of DACA Recipients Say Time Is Running Out For Their Children
Hear the radio version of this story. For the first time, there is no Christmas tree adorning Veronica Zavaleta’s usually festive home. “Right now we are in limbo,” says Zavaleta. “I can’t even prepare for Christmas. I don’t have the Christmas spirit in me.” She pauses. Then adds, “I don’t want to set up my […]
The Key To Amazon’s Huge Cyber Monday In Tennessee? Seasonal Workers
Listen Monday was one of the busiest days of the year for the online retailer Amazon. The company says on Cyber Monday, hundreds of people place orders every second. And in Tennessee, this massive production depends on thousands of seasonal workers the company has hired across the state.
In Clarksville, Police Say They Welcome Body Cameras
Listen Cell phone footage shot by bystanders showing sometimes violent police interactions with civilians has led to more discussions nationwide about whether officers should wear body cameras. In some cities, local law enforcement has resisted that idea. But that’s not the case in Clarksville, where the police department has actually been one of its biggest […]
Meeting Between Nashville Police Chief And ‘Justice For Jocques’ Cancelled After Months Of Sparring
Members of the local group Justice For Jocques called off a meeting with Metro Police Chief Steve Anderson, taking issue with the audience he was requesting.
DACA Youth From Tennessee Take Their Fight For The DREAM Act To D.C.
Listen Thousands of immigrant students from all over the country with temporary legal protections through DACA are descending on Washington D.C. That includes a caravan coming from Tennessee. They will join in others in asking their state representatives to push for a vote on the Dream Act before December.
Cost Of Health Care In Tennessee Prisons Is About To Spike
Listen The care of prisoners’ health across the state will remain in the hands of the embattled current provider — Centurion of Tennessee. But as of next July, it’s going to get considerably more expensive.
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