Bills (including Haslam) target violent crime

   Three bills aimed at reducing violent crime in Tennessee were signed by Governor Bill Haslam this week at the Bartlett Criminal Justice Center in Shelby County. 

Following is a brief summary of the new laws:

• Felons with Firearms — Increases penalties for illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon from a Class E felony to a Class C felony, which is punishable by a 3- to 15-year sentence and up to $10,000 in fines if the crime involved the use of force, violence or a deadly weapon. The punishment is a Class D felony, under the new law, for felons whose conviction involve a drug offense.
• Enhancing Penalties for Gang Violence – Bumps up penalties by one classification in Tennessee if “a crime of force or violence is committed while acting in concert with two or more other persons.” The measure addresses certain types of serious crimes not covered by the state’s current “Crooks with Guns” law, including aggravated assault, robbery, or aggravated burglary, if the crime is committed in concert with two or more persons.
• Repeat Domestic Violence Offender Law – Specifies at least 30 days in jail and a fine ranging from $350 to $3,500 for those convicted of a second offense for domestic violence when bodily injury occurs. Upon a third or a subsequent conviction, the mandatory jail time would increase to 90 days and a fine ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. In counting prior convictions, the new law provides for a ten-year look back provision for domestic violence due to serious bodily injury similar to the one used in the state’s drunk driving law.

   “Tennessee is ranked second in the nation in domestic violence and is fifth in the number of women murdered by men as a result of domestic violence,” said Senator Mark Norris, the state's Senate Majority Leader and the sponsor of the bills. “We must turn the tide on domestic violence in Tennessee. This new law represents a large step forward in that effort.”

   Norris said all three of the new laws were part of a package of public safety bills included in Haslam’s legislative agenda. The bills were recommended by a group headed by Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons, composed of more than 10 government agencies. The group held meetings with over 300 leaders in law enforcement, substance abuse, and corrections, and developed 11 objectives and 40 action steps in their multi-year safety action plan with the goal of significantly reducing drug abuse and drug trafficking, curbing violent crime and lowering the rate of repeat offenders in Tennessee.

Mad at God?

   Surveillance cameras last week captured a man throwing a brick through a window and breaking into North Nashville's 15th Avenue Baptist Church.

   "The fact that someone would vandalize something so sacred is deeply upsetting and disturbing to me," said Pastor William Buchanan.

   Other burglaries have occurred at churches on Smith Springs Road and Old Murfreesboro Pike.

   Maybe the burglars think their victims will be more forgiving?

   At one church, choir members got ready in a room to come out and sing. The room was left unlocked from an outside entrance and a thief waltzed in and stole all the personal belongings of the choir members.

   Pastors and police are joining forces and fighting back with Metro's fourth annual Church Safety Seminar. Officers won't just be addressing break-ins; they'll be tackling everything from embezzlement to identity theft.

   Father Joseph Breen of St. Edwards Church has been to the seminar before. "We found out lighting is one of the most important elements of security," Breen said.

   This year, Breen is hosting the event and said he hopes to send a message to criminals that they will have to bear the burden of their actions. "I don't think they can live with that and find peace," Breen said.

   But for those who are able to overcome their conscience, they’ll now have to deal with clergy armed with self-defense tactics.

   "I think they would be wise to keep that it in mind, that it is a house of God. It's something different and something special that I would hope they would not consider doing it again,” Breen said. (Or they’ll suffer the wrath of God?)

   Metro police said anyone is welcome to join the seminar. It starts at 9 a.m. Thursday at the St. Edwards Church on Thompson Lane.