Tennessee Lawmakers Want Domestic Violence Suspects To Stay In Custody For ‘Cool Off’ Period

Tennessee lawmakers are working to tighten rules so police can hold more people accused of domestic violence while they “cool off.”

The proposal comes after a prominent Nashville contractor was arrested for abusing a girlfriend twice in a single morning.

The incident took place last summer. According to police and news accounts, contractor David Chase was initially arrested shortly after a fight at his Nashville apartment.

Under Tennessee law, Chase was supposed to spend a 12-hour “cooling off” period in jail. But after speaking to Chase’s attorney, a magistrate released him—barely two hours after he was booked.

Chase then confronted his girlfriend as she tried to retrieve belongings from the apartment, prompting a second arrest.

House Bill 41, now making its way through the General Assembly, is meant to prevent such incidents in the future.

But it stops short of requiring the cooling-off period in all cases. 
Instead, judges would have to hold a hearing with law enforcement before releasing a domestic violence suspect early.

“Twelve hour, mandatory, has a certain appeal. It’s simple. It’s very finite. It’s very definable,” says one sponsor, 
says Sen. Steve Dickerson (R-Nashville). “
But
the problem is, some people will abuse the system and the perpetrator will accuse the victim.”

Police say it’s rare that they arrest the wrong person in a domestic violence case.

But they agree the bill would make it harder than it is now for suspects to get out during the cooling-off period, which is something they support.