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"Prison party" photos
Fourth Judicial District Attorney General Jimmy Dunn has issued a statement arguing that crime victims have the right to be free from harassment, intimidation and abuse throughout the criminal justice process, as guaranteed by the Crime Victims Bill of Rights. But Dunn says recently, with increased focus on criminal justice reform, the emphasis is often on defendants’ rights, sometimes at the expense of those who have been preyed upon. He argues that within Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) policies, inmates rights are placed above the safety and peace of mind of victims who have been traumatized by those who are incarcerated. A bill pending in the legislature, brought on behalf of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference, would remedy one “particularly egregious imbalance in TDOC policy”, says Dunn; the public dissemination of “prison party” photos. In 2006, Jamie Brock was convicted of first-degree murder for bludgeoning his wife, Janet, to death with a baseball bat while their two children slept in the next room. At trial, the medical examiner testified that Janet was struck with the baseball bat no fewer than 70 times. Although nothing could ever bring Janet back, the prosecutor says her family found justice in knowing her killer would serve a life sentence in TDOC custody and they would never have to see him again. But they were shocked to see a photograph of the killer and his girlfriend at a prison holiday party posed like a high school couple on prom night. The girlfriend was allowed to purchase the photo and put it in the public domain by posting it on social media and using it on a Christmas card. “One can only imagine the emotions Janet’s family felt when they saw the photo," observes Dunn. The prosecutor says nothing the state of Tennessee does will ever heal the hurt that crime victims suffer, however, those who administer justice have a duty and obligation to seek justice for victims. “It is imperative that we seek to protect victims from further pain and harassment inflicted by the criminal justice system. HB 2653/SB 2534 seeks to do that by preventing the public dissemination of 'prison party' photos,” says Dunn.
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