Secretary of State’s Office Urging Vulnerable Tennesseans to Utilize Its ‘Safe at Home’ Address Confidentiality Program

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett is encouraging vulnerable Tennesseans to protect their address by taking advantage of his office’s Safe at Home address confidentiality program.

Hargett’s call for Tennesseans to take advantage of the program comes during National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, which was observed on Wednesday.

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Former Democratic State Senator Joe Haynes Pleads Not Guilty To Sexual Battery

  Former Democratic State Senator Joe Haynes pleaded not guilty Monday to one count of felony sexual battery, WKRN News 2 reports. Haynes, an 80-year-old Nashville area attorney, was arrested in May for an incident in July 2016. The alleged female victim told Metro police she had hired Haynes to help her with the estate of her recently deceased mother. She told police that Haynes grabbed her buttocks and tried to French kiss her. “I’m not guilty of the charge,” Haynes told WKRN after his arraignment Monday. “I have great faith in the judicial system and I look forward to being vindicated.” Haynes’ wife, Barbara, a retired Davidson County General Sessions and Circuit Court judge, was by her husband’s side Monday. Monday’s arraignment took place in a Cheatham County courtroom because all Davidson County judges recused themselves from the case, as well as District Attorney Glenn Funk. Cheatham County Judge David Wolfe, who heard Monday’s arraignment, will preside over the entire case. The prosecutor is District Attorney Stephen Crump of the 10th judicial district in East Tennessee. Jim Weatherly, Haynes’ defense attorney, told WKRN that he hopes the trial will still take place in Nashville. A trial date has not been set yet.…

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Former Democratic State Senator Joe Haynes Charged With Sexual Battery

Joe Haynes, a Nashville area attorney and former Democratic state legislator who served in the Senate for many years, has been charged with sexual battery. Haynes, 80, was indicted by a grand jury and surrendered for booking early Monday afternoon, reports WKRN News 2 . In July 2016, a then 49-year-old woman met with Metro Nashville police and told them that Haynes grabbed her buttocks and tried to French kiss her. The woman said she had hired Haynes to help her with legal matters regarding the estate of her recently deceased mother, according to WKRN. Haynes was released later Monday after posting a $2,500 bond. He served in the state Senate from 1985 to 2012. He represented the 20th district, which includes part of Davidson County. He chaired the Senate Democratic Caucus and served on several committees, including Ethics and Finance, Ways and Means. A Sumner County native and University of Tennessee graduate, Haynes has been involved in numerous community organizations and served for years on the Goodlettsville City Commission including in the role of vice mayor. He is married to Barbara Haynes, a retired Davidson County General Sessions and Circuit Court judge. They have three children.

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