In 2013, a Nashville report identified ways the justice system could improve for domestic violence victims. A new assessment looks back at a decade of wins and highlights opportunities to improve.
Tennessee executes Byron Black despite worries about his heart implant
The state of Tennessee executed Byron Black on Tuesday morning. The 69-year-old was convicted of killing his girlfriend and her daughters in 1988. The execution was carried out by lethal injection despite uncertainty about Black’s heart implant.
How the head of an embattled Tennessee youth detention center held on to power for decades
Richard L. Bean remained in his perch as the superintendent of the juvenile detention center that bears his name despite scandals, investigations, and the use of seclusion to punish children.
The Governor’s family business and major lobbying companies received thousands from new franchise tax refunds
Tennessee’s Department of Revenue has officially released the names of businesses that received tax refunds due to the franchise tax reform bill passed last year.
The head of Knoxville’s Richard L. Bean detention center will retire after ‘loss of confidence’ in his leadership
A 2023 WPLN News and ProPublica investigation found that Bean was illegally locking kids up alone in cells. A new scandal has forced his resignation.
Chattanooga school agrees to pay $100,000 after an 11-year-old was arrested under threats of mass violence law
Junior was handcuffed and arrested for allegedly making a threat. His family agreed to a settlement in their lawsuit against his school.
Tennessee executes Oscar Smith, ending pause on lethal injections
The state of Tennessee executed Oscar Franklin Smith Thursday morning. It was the first lethal injection since 2019, and comes on the heels of a third-party investigation into the state’s protocol that found failures in testing the drugs used during executions.
Timeline: Tennessee is planning its first lethal injection in years. How did the state get here?
On Thursday, Tennessee plans to carry out its first execution since 2019 by means of lethal injection. It’s the fourth scheduled execution date since 2020 for Oscar Smith, who was convicted of killing his estranged wife Judith Smith and her two sons Jason Burnett and Chad Burnett in 1989.
Nashville’s Metro Council unanimously supports hiring an investigator to disarm prohibited people
Nashville’s Metro Council unanimously supported a resolution that would have the city hire a dedicated firearms dispossession investigator. That position would ensure that people who are barred from having guns because of criminal convictions wouldn’t have access to them.
Tennessee will create a public registry of domestic violence offenders. How could it be used?
The registry could have a use other than the one lawmakers discussed – to ensure dangerous people don’t get guns.
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