criminal court clerk

Criminal Court Clerk hid an arrest record from public search, DA’s office

04/12/202404/12/2024 Jason Steen

Imagine being arrested on two felony charges, and then convincing the criminal court clerk to remove your name from their database so no one would know about your arrest or charges. Not even the District Attorney could locate you in a search for your case. That was the reality for a Brentwood woman, who convinced Julius Sloss of Howard Gentry’s office to redact her name, and replace it with unsearchable initials. When Scoop: Nashville began to inquire about the special treatment, things quickly changed.

MNPD isn’t apologizing for arresting citizens on a felony charge repealed 2 years ago

07/21/202107/21/2021 Jason Steen

Metro Nashville Police Public Affairs Manager Don Aaron says Officer Ronald Bright “acted in good faith” when, in June of 2021, he arrested a citizen and charged with them with felony “habitual motor offender”, a law that was repealed by the state legislature over two years ago which carried a punishment of up to 6 years in prison. A magistrate even signed the warrant, jailed the citizen, and required them to post a large cash bond to get out of jail – on a charge that no longer existed. Scoop: Nashville learned this scenario has played out over 20 times in the last 17 months, leaving citizens at a loss for the money spent for high cash bond amounts, towing/storage fees, public humiliation, lost wages & jobs, and other expenses due to the invalid arrests.

Clerk’s office ‘expunged’ recordings of MNPD Officer who allegedly recanted testimony on the stand

07/08/202107/08/2021 Jason Steen

In late June, a well-known attorney was in court for a hearing after MNPD charged him with assault of an officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and public intoxication. People present during that hearing report the officer recanted his sworn affidavit on the stand. Scoop Nashville immediately requested those court recordings, which are traditionally provided within 1-2 days. Nine days later, the office replied they had expunged those public records.