Image Credit: Speaker Cameron Sexton / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Rebecca Scott] –
A Belmont University student, Jillian Ludwig, recently passed away from a gunshot wound to her head. The alleged shooter, Shaquille Taylor, was firing at a passing car when a stray bullet hit Ludwig.
Taylor, age 29, has been in trouble with the law on numerous occasions with his most recent arrests being due to aggravated assault and theft.
Speaker of the Tennessee House, Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville-District 25, is pointing a finger at the Tennessee Senate, expressing that the Senate had the opportunity to pass legislation during the special session that would have kept Shaquille Taylor off the streets of Nashville and, subsequently, prevented the death of Jillian Ludwig.
Sexton asserts that, if the Senate had passed a bill that he had sponsored, Taylor would have been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility based on the fact that he was clearly a threat to other people.
In April, Taylor was charged with aggravated assault while using a deadly weapon. He was deemed incompetent and unable to stand trial through the assessment of three different court appointed doctors. However, according to current state standards, he was also not eligible to be committed to a mental institution involuntarily. Therefore, his case was dismissed and he was set free.
Speaker Sexton had been working with Tennessee District Attorney General Glenn Funk, to formulate legislation that would require commitment to a mental health facility if a person poses “an imminent likelihood of serious harm.” Current legislation allows for involuntary commitment for people who are a suicide threat, but this new bill would take into account the threat that a person may be to others.
Representative Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge-District 5, while acknowledging the tragedy of Jillian Ludwig’s death, does not believe that anything proposed to the legislature during the special session would have specifically prevented Ludwig’s untimely death and, therefore, does not agree with Sexton’s frustration with the Senate.
General Funk weighed in with his own statement saying, “The law must be altered to accurately balance individual needs with public safety. At the same time Tennessee must provide more beds and staffing resources to handle dangerous individuals.”
Sexton has suggested that people who are charged with crimes but deemed incompetent to stand trial should automatically be committed to the care of a doctor.
When the legislature reconvenes in January, Sexton is determined to re-file his legislation. While the House and Senate will need to work in tandem to accomplish passage of appropriate legislation, there is bound to be some tension as lawmakers debate the repercussions of legislation involving incompetency and involuntary commitment.
Rebecca Scott is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Rebecca at Rebecca@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
8 Responses
Well that’s a load of bs! He has been arrested his many times before this murder? Sexton is an effort rino! He has.nothing in his mind but how to increase his bank account and of course power. Man is morally spineless.
General Funk weighed in with his own statement saying, “The law must be altered to accurately balance individual needs with public safety. At the same time Tennessee must provide more beds and staffing resources to handle dangerous individuals.”
It’s heart breaking when anyone’s life is shorten,
but “LAW” recognizes no “SYMPATHY” or “POLITICS”,
when either are used to justify Law it violates “LAW” it’s self.
“GOOD INTENTIONS LAWS”, Red flag, Ban Guns, Censored Misinformation,
Are “ALL CONDEMNED” by “LAW” as well as the “CONSTITUTION”.
And as Washington said, leads to the total destruction of the very thing they are trying to save.
“IF in the opinion of the people the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way which the Constitution designates. But let there be no change by usurpation; for though this, in one instance, (though it) may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed.
G.Washington’s Farewell Address.
This thug had been arrested several times, the last being assault with a deadly weapon. If the laws already on the books had been enforced, this thug would be in prison. It is more believable that the three court appointed doctors were dead wrong and should be held accountable. How about we stop making decisions based on how we “feel” this thug should be treated and treat him as the dangerous criminal he is.
Mr. Sexton didn’t have to adjourn if he really felt that way.
He can go ahead and sit until somebody else gets shot.
It shouldn’tbe long.
Then, he can blame everyone else all over again and with far greater gravitas.
Of course, everyone will adjourn anyway.
We’ve heard all this before.
But, it would be special, even exciting, I think, to see someone like Mr. Sexton do something besides flap his gob on the subject.
At this point, remedial sitting would be astonishing.
With Sexton and his RINO followers in the House the Democrats are loving it. Did Cameron Sexton ever think about pushing to have existing laws enforced? With all the crimes this guy has committed he should have been behind bars.
I think it is past time that conservatives seriously consider starting a third party. Yes I have heard for 50 years all the arguments against a third party but do we really want Republicans like this in our party?
Get ready for another fight for your Constitutional rights in 2024.
Then reintroduce in REGULAR session.
Catch and Release! Another law may or may not of prevented this murder? One thing the Electric chair has NO REPEAT offenders! What Mental Health Facilities!! Tenn. has closed most of them years ago and Every E.R. in TN. is full of those needing Mental health and NO where to send them.
Great to see so many people paying attention. Make your voices heard to your reps during sessions. And yes, WHY WAS THIS MAN ON THE STREETS?