.
. BACK
. BACK ON
. BACK ON INSIDE TENNESSEE WITH TWO MEN WHO'D LIKE TO BE THE
NEXT CRIMINAL COURT JUDGE IN
KNOX COUNTY.
>> GENTLEMEN, THIS IS A
QUESTION THAT DEALS WITH US AND
THAT IS CAMERAS IN THE
COURTROOM.
GOOD IDEA OR BAD IDEA?
YOUR THOUGHT?
YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A
HUGE PROPONENT OF THAT.
I THINK THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM WORKS BETTER WHEN PEOPLE
ARE INVOLVED.
WHEN THE CITIZENS ARE INVOLVED
,THESE ARE THE PEOPLE'S COURTS
.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE'S
PROSECUTIONS.
THERE IS A LACK OF
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT WE DO
IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND THAT'S
NOT A GOOD THING.
SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN DO
SO UNDER THE SUPREME COURT
RULES, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE
CAMERAS IN THE COURTROOM.
I THINK THE PROCESS SHOULD BE
AS OPEN AND TRANSPARENT AS
POSSIBLE.
>> JOHN, I AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT
FOR ACCESS TO JUST JUSTICE TO
NOT ONLY INCLUDE HELPING PEOPLE
THAT ARE MARGINALIZED IN OUR
COMMUNITY BUT ALSO IT DOES GIVE
ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR THE
PUBLIC BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THOSE
CASES AND BILL TO KNOW WHAT'S
GOING ON IN THOSE CASES I DO
RECOGNIZE SOMETIMES CASES GET
LAUGHS DREAM.
I THINK THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF
A CONCERN BECAUSE WITNESSES
COULD POTENTIALLY WATCH OTHER
PEOPLE'S TESTIMONY AND THAT
COULD POTENTIALLY JEOPARDIZE
THAT TESTIMONY IN THAT TRIAL
FROM THAT LATER WITNESS.
BUT I DO AGREE THAT THAT WE DO
NEED CAMERAS IN THE COURTROOM
AND I THINK PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT
.
>> THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO TO
SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
WELL, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED IN
FEDERAL COURT THAT YOU MIGHT
INCORPORATE INTO SITTING ON THE
BENCH IN STATE COURT?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
>> I'LL TELL YOU THAT WHEN I
FIRST STARTED PRACTICING WELL
BACK IN 2000, OUR CRIMINAL
COURT JUDGE WAS VERY STRICT ON
SCHEDULING ORDERS, DISCOVERY
DEADLINES FOR BOTH THE STATE
AND THE DEFENSE AND TRIAL DATES
WERE HELD.
IF YOU WERE SET FOR TRIAL, YOU
WENT TO TRIAL AND I THINK I
ALWAYS WORK BETTER WORKING FOR
DATES, WORKING TOWARDS A DATE
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
CONSIDER THOSE TYPES OF
MECHANISMS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN FEDERAL
COURT THOUGH WHILE THERE IS A
LOT OF WORK THERE'S NOT AS MANY
CASES AS YOU SEE IN THE STATE
COURTS.
THERE'S NOT AS MUCH VOLUME.
AND SO IT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO
IMPLEMENT THAT AND MAKE THAT
MAKE THAT WORK IN A STATE COURT
PROCEEDING.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S
IMPORTANT TO HAVE DISCOVERY
DEADLINES FOR BOTH THE STATE
AND THE DEFENSE AND THE
SEPARATIST EVERY OBLIGATION
THAT IT WILL 16 TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT PROCESS IS WORKING
EFFICIENTLY TOO OFTEN.
WELL, NOT TOO OFTEN BUT
SOMETIMES I HAD SITUATIONS
WHERE I WOULD GET DISCOVERY
SHORTLY BEFORE TRIAL IN A CASE.
NOW I'D HAVE TO EITHER DECIDE
WHETHER TO TAKE A CHANCE TO
DISCUSS MY CLIENT, TAKE THE
CHANCE TO GO TO TRIAL.
MAYBE THEY'RE IN CUSTODY OR TRY
TO CONTINUE THAT CASE AND
PROLONG THEIR CUSTODIAL
SITUATION IN THOSE CASES.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S THAT'S
IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOUGH
DISCOVERY DEADLINES TO MAKE
SURE THAT STATES DISCLOSE WHAT
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GIVEN
AND THE DEFENSE IS DISCLOSING
WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
BEFORE WE MOVE TO SUSAN JUST A
QUICK NOTE FOR OUR VIEWERS.
>> BOTH THESE MEN FILLED OUT A
QUESTIONNAIRE ABOUT WHY THEY
WANT A JOB.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND ONLINE
AS WELL THROUGH THE POLITICS
PAGE AND INSIDE TENNESSEE.
BUT IN YOUR EYES YOU WRITE
ABOUT THE CASELOAD NOW IT MAY
GIVE PEOPLE A WINDOW INTO WHAT
THAT COURT LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S JAM PACKED RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, IT REALLY IS.
I MEAN WE HAVE TRIALS SCHEDULED
THREE DEEP MONDAY, TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY.
SO ABOUT NON TRIALS SCHEDULED
EVERY WEEK BETWEEN NOW AND JULY
.
SO I'M SCHEDULING TRIALS INTO
AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER.
THAT'S JUST TOO MANY TRIALS TO
HAVE ON THE TRIAL DOCKET.
IT'S UNREALISTIC.
RIGHT.
I MEAN IT IS UTTERLY
UNREALISTIC AND IT CREATES A
CULTURE AMONGST THE LITIGANTS
THAT OH WELL THIS CASE ISN'T
REALLY GOING TO GO TO TRIAL AND
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE
TO COMBAT AND I DO I AGREE WITH
LESLIE THAT I THINK SCHEDULING
ORDERS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF
THAT AND IS CRIMINAL COURT
JUDGE.
I'VE ALREADY IMPOSED SCHEDULING
ORDERS.
I'VE ALREADY IMPOSED DISCOVERY
DEADLINES AS WELL AS PLEA
DEADLINES.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A DEADLINE
FOR THE PARTIES TO NEGOTIATE
THE CASE IF THEY'RE GOING TO
AND ONLY THEN SHOULD THE CASE
GET ON THE TRIAL DOCKET.
SO THAT WAY THE COURT AND THE
PARTIES WILL KNOW WHICH CASES
ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO TRIAL.
SO I WANT TO MOST PEOPLE THAT
ARE WATCHING THIS SHOW PROBABLY
KNOW NOTHING IN THAT CRIMINAL
COURT.
THEY KNOW UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN
RIGHT.
SO HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU
HAVE?
HOW MANY ATTORNEYS IN THAT
OFFICE OR YOU'RE THE JUDGE?
DO YOU HAVE OTHER FOLKS THAT
ARE EMPLOYED AND ARE YOU GOING
TO KEEP THE SAME ONES IF YOU'RE
ELECTED, WESLEY?
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AND
WOULD YOU INCREASE THE STAFF
THERE?
HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE?
I JUST HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE REALLY
.
I HAVE A JUDICIAL ASSISTANT AND
SHE DOES A GREAT JOB.
SHE CAME OVER FROM THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WITH ME BUT
THAT'S MY ONLY EMPLOYEE.
NOW WE HAVE ABOUT THREE
EMPLOYEES FROM THE CRIMINAL
COURT CLERK'S OFFICE ASSIGNED
TO MY WORK THAT THEY WORK FOR
MIKE HAMMOND, OUR ELECTED CLERK
.
WE ALSO HAVE COURT OFFICERS AND
JAILERS WHO ARE ASSIGNED
SPECIFICALLY TO DIVISION 2 AND
THEY WORK FOR THE SHERIFF.
SO IT REALLY IS A OPERATIONS
SMALL OPERATION AND YOU'RE
REALLY RELYING ON THE ATTORNEYS
WHO ARE APPEARING IN THE COURT
TO DROP THE OPERATION.
SO WE HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS WHO ARE
ASSIGNED TO THE COURT'S PUBLIC
DEFENDERS FROM ERIC SUTTON'S
OFFICE OR ASSIGNED TO THE COURT
.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE PRIVATE
ATTORNEY CYCLE THROUGH ANY ANY
THOUGHTS ABOUT CHANGING
ANYTHING IF YOU'RE ELECTED.
>> YOU KNOW A LOT OF STAFF
THAT'S THERE WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF BETH WHITE WHO SERVED AS
JUDGE MCGEE'S JUDICIAL
ASSISTANT FOR A GREAT NUMBER OF
YEARS.
>> THE STAFF, THE COURT
OFFICERS, THEY'RE THE SAME.
AND I THINK THEY DO A FANTASTIC
JOB.
THEY ALWAYS DID WHEN I WAS IN
THOSE YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M IN
THOSE CASES AND THOSE COURTS
ARE JUST VERY PLEASANT TO BE
WITH.
WE'RE VERY WELL WORKED VERY
HARD AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE
SAFE AND THE PROCESS MOVES VERY
SMOOTHLY.
SO I WOULD HAVE NO RESERVATIONS
.
I'LL KEEP IN WHAT IS ALREADY.
THE COURT REPORTER THERE DOES A
VERY FANTASTIC JOB MAKING SURE
THAT WHAT GOES ON IN COURT IS
RECORDED ACT ACCURATELY.
AND SO I THINK THEY DO A VERY
GOOD JOB.
WHAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU
WRITE ABOUT IN YOUR SYNOPSIS IS
THE WORKLOAD FOR A JUDGE.
>> I THINK THERE MAY BE A
MISPERCEPTION OR PERCEPTION AT
LEAST AMONG OUR VIEWERS THAT
JUDGES WORK THREE DAYS A WE CAN
MAYBE THEY WORK BANKER'S HOURS.
WHAT CAN BOTH OF YOU SAY ABOUT
THAT?
THAT'S NOT TRUE.
>> I MEAN ONE THING I'VE
LEARNED SINCE I TOOK OFFICE ON
JANUARY 1ST IS IT'S A
CHALLENGING JOB.
I KNEW IT WOULD BE A
CHALLENGING JOB BOTH IN TERMS
OF THE VOLUME AND JUST THE
PRESSURE LEVEL THESE THE JOB.
THESE ARE BIG DECISIONS.
THESE DECISIONS AFFECT PEOPLE'S
LIVES.
AND WHAT I'M LEARNING IS THAT
MY CAREER IN PROSECUTION REALLY
PREPARED ME WELL FOR THAT
BECAUSE IF THERE'S ONE THING
THAT YOU ALSO DEAL WITH IN A
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, IT'S THE
VOLUME.
THAT'S ONE THING I THINK IS
VERY SIMILAR.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S
SIMILAR BETWEEN BEING A
PROSECUTOR, BEING A JUDGE IS
THAT AS THE PROSECUTOR YOU'RE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WHOLE
DOCKET AS THE JUDGE YOU'RE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WHOLE
DOCKET AND YOU REALLY GET THAT
GLOBAL VIEW OF WHAT'S GOING ON
AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO RUN
THAT DOCKET EFFECTIVELY.
MR. STONE, YOU HAVE A MINUTE.
SO I'VE ALWAYS JUST BEEN A HARD
WORKER.
JUST ALWAYS I HAD MY FIRST
BUSINESS WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS
OLD AND HARD WORK IS NOT LOST
ON ME.
I THINK THAT THE PERCEPTION
THAT THAT PEOPLE THAT JUDGES
ARE NOT WORKING FULL DAYS IS IS
.
I THINK IN PART BECAUSE THEY'RE
NOT SEEING A COURT GOING ON ALL
DAY.
BUT I'LL WORK MONDAY THROUGH
FRIDAY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, AN HONEST
DAY'S PAY FOR AN HONEST DAY'S
WORK.
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY TO HELP
RELIEVE THE PRESSURE OF THIS
DOCKET FOR DAYS AND EVEN
SATURDAYS IF NEED BE.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
THAT THE TAXPAYERS GET WHAT
THEY PAY FOR.
AND I WOULD BE THAT PERSON TO
DO THAT WORK AND DO IT VERY
EFFECTIVELY AND VERY
EFFICIENTLY.
SO I THINK THE HARD WORK NEEDS
TO BE DONE AND IT NEEDS TO BE
DONE QUICKLY GET PEOPLE IN JAIL
THAT'S THAT'S TAKING TOO LONG
SO.
WESLEY STONE, KYLE HICKSON, WE
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME