Tag: prison

Legal Expert Braden Boucek Details How New York Judge Could Still Sentence Trump to Prison This Month

Kaitlin Housler

Braden Boucek, vice president of Litigation for Southeastern Legal Foundation, explained the different avenues New York Judge Juan Merchan can pursue on Tuesday when he decides whether President-elect Donald Trump’s criminal conviction in the Stormy Daniels hush money case should be overturned in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity.

In July, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Trump v. United States that Trump is immune from federal prosecution for official acts he took while in office.

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Commentary: The Creation of an Ombudsman Could Solve Tennessee Corrections Crisis

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Tousdale Turner prison

It is often credited to Dostoyevsky that a nation can be judged by the condition of its prisons. If that is true, then Americans should be deeply concerned.  Too many of our country’s prisons are places of despair and abuse, plagued by understaffing, crumbling infrastructure, and chronic violence – and Tennessee is no exception.  This has become clear with the recent incidents at Trousdale Turner, state auditing reports, and a report from the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC).

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Peter Navarro Commentary: Biden’s Bureau of Prisons Is Botching Trump’s ‘First Step Act’ and Costing Taxpayers Billions

Daily Caller News Foundation
Peter Navarro

Behind my prison walls, I have uncovered one of the great hidden scandals of the Biden administration. This is the refusal of Biden’s Bureau of Prisons to implement President Donald Trump’s First Step Act (FSA), signed by the president in 2018 while I was in the White House. This delay is costing American taxpayers billions, increases the rate of recidivism and crime and cruelly delays returning inmates to their families and jobs.

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Minnesota Department of Corrections Employee Quits After Men Inmates Are Allowed in Women’s Prison

Alpha News
Alicia Beckmann

After working for more than a decade as a GED instructor, Alicia Beckmann recently left her job because of a new transgender policy. According to Beckmann, the policy puts both corrections staff and inmates at risk.

The Minnesota Department of Corrections first transferred biological males Christina Lusk and Bradley Sirvio to Shakopee after Lusk successfully sued the state in 2023. A New York Post report last week revealed Gov. Tim Walz’s administration paid nearly $449,000 to a left-wing legal nonprofit as part of the resolution of Lusk’s case.

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Former Phoenix New Times Co-Owner Sentenced to Five Years in Prison Related to Prostitution, Sex Trafficking of Minors

Rachel Alexander
Michael Lacey

The former co-owner of the tabloid Phoenix New Times, Michael Lacey, was sentenced to five years in prison on Wednesday for laundering money from Backpage.com, a site he founded and ran that was accused of prostitution and sex trafficking of minors. His co-owner Jim Larkin killed himself a few days before the second trial was to begin in 2023 (the first trial ended in a mistrial). The New Times is known for regularly running articles attacking conservatives in politics that are strategically placed next to articles about pedophiles and murderers. 

Scott Spear and John “Jed” Brunst, former executives with Backpage, were sentenced to 10 years each for numerous crimes. “The defendants and their conspirators obtained more than $500 million from operating an online forum that facilitated the sexual exploitation of countless victims,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in a press release. “The defendants thought they could hide their illicit proceeds by laundering the funds through shell companies in foreign countries. But they were wrong.” 

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Kamala Harris Once Ran Jobs Program That Kept Criminal Illegal Migrants Out of Prison

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Kamala Harris

As the district attorney for San Francisco, Kamala Harris ran a city program that kept criminal illegal immigrants out of prison by training them for jobs they could not legally have.

Harris, who served as San Francisco district attorney from from 2004 to 2011, lead an initiative called “Back on Track” while serving as the city’s top prosecutor, according to a 2009 article from the LA Times. The program was intended to help felons get their convictions expunged, but Harris at the time said she didn’t know illegal immigrants were also being selected by her office.

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Appeals Court Rejects Steve Bannon’s Request to Delay Prison Sentence

Just the News
Stephen K. Bannon

A United States court of appeals on Thursday rejected Steve Bannon’s request to delay the start of his prison sentence, ruling that he must report to serve the contempt of Congress sentence on July 1.

Bannon was sentenced to four months in a low-security prison in October of 2022, after he was convicted on two counts of contempt-of-Congress by a jury, for failing to comply with a Congressional subpoena in front of the House January 6 committee. But his report date was delayed after he filed multiple appeals.

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Kentucky Man Who Operated Boat that Collided and Killed a Tennessee Child Sentenced to Eight Years in Jail

Kaitlin Housler
Norman Sturgill

A man who pled guilty to vehicular homicide by intoxication and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon in connection with a boating collision on Norris Lake last year that resulted in the death of a child has been sentenced to eight years in prison, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

On the evening of July 22, 2023, Norman Sturgill, 62, of Grayson, Kentucky, was operating a 19-foot Triton bass boat that collided with a 24-foot Chaparral open motorboat in front of Norris Landing Marina.

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Commentary: Rethinking Tennessee Justice to Put Us on a Path to Public Safety and Fiscal Responsibility

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Police Officer

At its core, conservativism holds that America is at its best when families are strong, communities are safe, and the economy is booming. But in recent years, in certain parts of Tennessee, violent crime has risen even though the state has increased spending to keep more of its citizens incarcerated for longer. It’s only prudent to ask whether the current approach is working.

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Chattanooga Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Dealing a Fentanyl Analogue That Killed a 19-Year Old Girl

Kaitlin Housler
Jonathan Bash

A Chattanooga man received 21 years in prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty to distributing para-fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, that resulted in the overdose death of 19-year-old Charlotte Gallant.

Jonathan Bash, 25, sold a fentanyl analogue to the boyfriend of Gallant, misrepresenting the drug as ketamine, according to Bash’s plea agreement cited by the Eastern District of Tennessee U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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‘Evil is What It Is,’ Says Journalist Steve Baker, Who Reported on J6 and 3 Years Later Self-Surrendered on Misdemeanor Charges, Only to Be Placed in Leg Shackles by U.S. Marshalls

Kaitlin Housler
Steve Baker

Steve Baker, a current opinion contributor for Blaze News and an investigative journalist, said he is being treated as a “terrorist” by the weaponized Department of Justice (DOJ) for covering the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, as an independent journalist.

Baker has been charged with four misdemeanors for being present at the Capitol on January 6.

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Reporter Tom Pappert Says Tennessee Congressional Delegation ‘Fear’ Defending J6 Prisoner Ronald Colton McAbee

Kaitlin Housler
Ronald McAbee

Tom Pappert, lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, said members of the Tennessee congressional delegation have not shown an interest in taking up J6 prisoner Ronald Colton McAbee’s case due to the level of “fear” surrounding the overall defense of J6 defendants.

Last month, McAbee was sentenced to almost six years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $32,165 in restitution after being convicted and pleading guilty to six felony charges and one misdemeanor charge for being present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

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Wife of Unjustly Imprisoned J6 Defendant and Former Williamson County Deputy Sheriff Ronald McAbee Incarcerated Since 2021 Says Tennessee Congressional Delegation Is Ignoring His Case

Kaitlin Housler
Ronald McAbee

Sarah McAbee, the wife of J6 defendant Ronald Colton McAbee, said her husband has undergone unfair treatment both while incarcerated awaiting trial and during his jury trial for being present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

D.C. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras sentenced Ronald McAbee last month to almost six years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $32,165 in restitution after being convicted and pleading guilty to six felony charges and one misdemeanor charge.

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Michael Patrick Leahy on J6 Defendant Reporting to Memphis Prison: ‘What Kind of Safety Is Stewart Parks Going to Have There?’

Kaitlin Housler
Stewart Parks

Editor-in-Chief and CEO of The Tennessee Star Michael Patrick Leahy dedicated a segment during Tuesday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss the imprisonment of January 6 defendant Stewart Parks, who self-reported for incarceration at the Federal Correctional Institution in Memphis on Tuesday to serve an eight-month sentence for being present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

D.C. Circuit Court Judge Amit P. Mehta, who has presided over several trials related to the January 6 Capitol riots, sentenced Parks in November 2023 to three years imprisonment on misdemeanor trespassing, disorderly conduct, and theft charges. Parks, however, will serve his sentence concurrently, reducing his term to eight months behind bars.

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Unjustly Convicted J6 Defendant Stewart Parks Enjoys Last Minutes of Freedom Before Reporting to Prison

Kaitlin Housler
Stewart Parks

Stewart Parks, a local entrepreneur and former candidate to represent Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, joined the newsmaker line on Tuesday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy one hour before reporting to the Federal Correctional Institution in Memphis to serve an eight-month sentence for being present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

Parks was sentenced in November 2023 to three years imprisonment on misdemeanor trespassing, disorderly conduct, and theft charges by D.C. Circuit Court Judge Amit P. Mehta, who has presided over several trials related to the January 6 Capitol riots. Parks, however, will serve his sentence concurrently beginning on Tuesday, reducing his term to eight months behind bars.

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Pro-Life Activists Face 11 Years in Prison After Jury Hands Down Guilty Verdict

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Six pro-life activists were found guilty of blocking access to an abortion clinic on Tuesday and could face a sentence of up to 11 years in prison, according to a press release from the Thomas More Society.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged 11 pro-life activists in October 2022 with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which “prohibits threats of force, obstruction and property damage intended to interfere with reproductive health care services,” for blocking the entrance of an abortion clinic in March 2021. A jury ruled that the six defendants were guilty after a six-day trial at the Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse in Nashville, Tennessee, according to the press release.

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J6 Defendant Stewart Parks Plans Last Minute Appeal as Eight-Month Prison Sentence Nears

Tennessee Star Staff
Stewart Parks

Majority Whip Johnny Garrett joined the newsmaker line on Monday’s episode of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to share his insights on the new legislative session as it begins its second week at home as snow continues to blanket the region.

Garrett expressed optimism about Governor Bill Lee’s proposed education freedom scholarships, though he said he does anticipate some opposition to the proposal.

The conversation then turned to the potential constitutional issue regarding the franchise excise tax law that could leave taxpayers on the hook for as much as $1.2 billion. Garrett noted Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is evaluating the claims to see if tax relief for the companies in question would address constitutional concerns.

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Wisconsin U.S. Senator Ron Johnson on Hunter Biden Plea Deals: ‘This Stinks to High Heaven’

M.D. Kittle

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) joined a chorus of Republicans blasting plea deals that would keep the president’s ne’er-do-well son out of prison.  

“Well first of all, this stinks to high heaven. It certainly proves we do not have equal application of justice under the law,” Johnson said this week on Fox News’ Jesse Waters Prime Time. 

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Pennsylvania Democrats Want Prisoners Included In Minimum Wage Hike

Bradley Vasoli

A Pennsylvania state correctional-facility inmate can expect to earn between $0.23 and $0.50 per hour  at his prison job — not counting free room and board. Sixteen Pennsylvania House Democrats now want the state government that feeds and shelters these prisoners to pay them $21 an hour for their work. 

Led by Representative Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia), these lawmakers are spearheading legislation to dramatically increase the state minimum wage and apply the new rate to prisoners. 

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Mental Health Better Treated Outside of Pennsylvania Prison, State Says

The Center Square

A significant portion of Pennsylvania’s 38,000 inmates live with a mental health condition, but often don’t belong in prison, state officials say.

Department of Corrections Acting Secretary Laurel Harry told lawmakers this week that 36% of incarcerated men and 66% of women are diagnosed with mental illness – and the state has made significant strides to provide treatment.

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Sarah Sanders Signs Bill to Ban Parole for Rapists and Human Traffickers

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Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders signed a bill Tuesday to stop criminals in prison for rape, first-degree murder, human trafficking and some other felony offenses committed after 2024 from being released early.

The Protect Arkansas Act will make those who commit any of 24 felonies including rape, aggravated robbery and child pornography possession ineligible for parole and require people incarcerated for a variety of other felony crimes like manslaughter and fentanyl delivery committed in 2025 or later to serve at least 85 percent of their court-assigned sentences. Sanders signed the act surrounded by law enforcement personnel, and tweeted, “The failed public safety status quo ends today in Arkansas.”

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Wisconsin Republican Lawmakers Furious after Audit Exposes Former Inmates Stay Free After Committing New Crimes

The Center Square

Republican lawmakers are ripping Gov. Evers after a new audit shows many former inmates are not being sent back to prison for new crimes.

The Legislative Audit Bureau released its report into the state’s Community Corrections Program on Friday. It says the Department of Corrections is not following-up on former inmates well enough, and says Department of Corrections agents are not reporting crimes that could send ex-convicts back to prison.

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Commentary: The Institutionalized Minds of Most Americans

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I must have seen “The Shawshank Redemption” at least a hundred times. It was an ubiquitous staple of college life in the late 1990s, like “Friends” or The Dave Matthews Band. It’s the story of a young banker, Andy Dufresene (Tim Robbins), who tries to preserve his humanity and his hope while serving a life sentence after being wrongly convicted of the murder of his wife and her lover.

In the middle of the movie an elderly prisoner, Brooks Hatlen (James Whitmore), holds another inmate hostage at knifepoint. After Andy defuses the situation it is revealed that, after 50 years in prison, Brooks will be paroled. Brooks had spent his entire adult life in prison, and he didn’t want to leave, so he reasoned that by committing another crime he could remain in prison. While Brooks’ would-be victim surmises that Brooks is simply crazy, Andy’s best friend, “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman), has a different explanation: “He’s just . . . just institutionalized.”

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County Attorney Rachel Mitchell Announces Sentencing for Perpetrators of 2022 Armed Robbery

Neil Jones

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (R) announced Monday that four individuals responsible for the 2022 armed robbery of an Arizona jewelry store had been sentenced to prison.

“The victims in this case lived through terrifying moments as they feared for their lives at the hands of criminals,” said Mitchell. “Our office was relentless in the pursuit of justice for those nine individuals inside the store; the money and jewelry taken were recovered.”

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Tucson Man Heads Behind Bars After Attempting to Smuggle Fentanyl into Arizona

Neil Jones

The Arizona District of the Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Tucson resident Jose Antonio Cota, 33, has been sentenced to jail time for attempting to smuggle fentanyl into the state.

“Cota pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl in April 2022,” according to the release from the DOJ. “In August 2020, Cota was a passenger in a commercial shuttle van when it stopped for a routine immigration inspection at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Amado, Arizona.”

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Liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidate Janet Protasiewicz Set a Very Violent Felon Free

M.D. Kittle

Aliyah Perez “brought an abundance of love, laughter and light to the world,” the 26-year-old woman’s family wrote in her obituary. Perez, the niece of Milwaukee Common Council President Jose Perez was found dead near 26th St. and Clayton Crest Ave.  on Sunday, Feb 26 — a victim of domestic abuse, her family said. 

But the young woman might very well be alive today had liberal Milwaukee County judge and Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Janet Protasiewicz not set Perez’s killer free. 

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Minnesota House Democrats Pass Voting Rights for Felons Currently in Prison

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Minnesota Democrats want to join just a handful of states where felons never lose their right to vote.

This was revealed during a House floor debate Thursday night, which saw the passage of State Rep. Cedrick Frazier’s, DFL-New Hope, bill to restore voting rights to felons once they are released from incarceration. Under current law, felons are not allowed to vote until they complete their entire sentence, including probation and parole.

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Minnesota Launches Grants to Help Convicts Reenter Workforce

The Center Square

Minnesota will spend $3 million in fiscal years 2023-2024 to help Minnesotans who have served their prison sentences reenter the workforce, the state announced Friday.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development said it received up to $10 million in First Step Initiative funding from the U.S. Department of Labor and Department of Justice to support formerly incarcerated individuals transition back to the community.

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Ohio Pushing More Money into Jail Renovations, Buildings

The Center Square

Ohio plans to spend an additional $51 million to renovate and build jails across the state in an effort, Gov. Mike DeWine says, to create environments that reduce recidivism.

The money comes on top of $45 million the state handed out a year ago to six local jails for major construction projects. Also, another $5 million went to smaller projects at six other sites.

“Our continued investment in Ohio’s local jails is a public safety investment that benefits everyone involved,” DeWine said. “This funding will go a long way toward creating safer and more secure jails for Ohio’s communities.”

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Dem-Appointed Judge Opens the Door to More Men Being Housed in Women’s Prisons

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A Democrat-appointed federal judge opened the door to allowing more males to be housed in women’s prisons Tuesday by ruling that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers people with gender dysphoria.

Kesha Williams, a biologically male former inmate who identifies as a transgender woman, sued several people associated with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center in Virginia for allegedly violating the ADA in their decision to house Williams with men, according to court documents. Judge Diana Gribbon Motz, a Clinton appointee, sided with Williams and rejected a lower court’s dismissal of the initial lawsuit.

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Biden Admin Funnels Taxpayer Dollars into ‘Programming Curriculum’ for Transgender Inmates

Admin

The Department of Justice invested almost $1.5 million of taxpayer dollars into a “transgender programming curriculum” focused on transgender inmates’ needs.

The curriculum is designed to help transgender inmates with their gender “identity,” sexual health and safety, according to a summary of the government contract. Though it’s unclear if the curriculum has been implemented, the program could be available for up to 1,200 transgender inmates, according to Justice Department estimates.

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Minnesota Offers Up to $87K for New Prison ‘Tattoo Supervisor’

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A job board maintained by the state of Minnesota is offering a prison “tattoo supervisor” position that could pay up to $87,000 with benefits.

The posting seeks applicants who are currently licensed as tattoo technicians, have at least three years of experience, and “possess a strong, well-rounded portfolio.” The hiring agency is the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the state’s prison system, and the work is full-time out of Stillwater.

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