Media

Criminal Court Safety Plan Approved — Judge Withdraws His Order

Release Date: August 4, 2003

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals at Jackson, Tennessee has dismissed an appeal of a court case that would have ordered Sheriff Mark Luttrell to change his courtroom’s security supervision procedures in Criminal Court Judge Joseph Dailey’s court. Judge Daily and Sheriff Luttrell have reached a settlement about the issue that was raised by Judge Dailey this past June.

Sheriff Mark Luttrell, Jr. had been ordered by Judge Dailey to reinstate a sergeant in his courtroom or provide supervisory bailiffs. In a plan to stream-line operational costs, the Sheriff had earlier this year removed sergeants from Judge Dailey’s court and all other criminal courts and replaced them with non-supervisory bailiffs.

Although the manpower levels were not changed, in that regular bailiffs replaced the sergeants, Judge Dailey felt removing the full-time sergeant would affect the level of security in his court.

Judge Dailey has now withdrawn his order saying, “As of this date, the Sheriff has adopted a new set of policies that satisfactorily addresses the concerns stayed in the Order entered by this court on June 10, 2003…the Order has become moot and is hereby vacated.”

“All along we knew Judge Dailey’s intent was to keep his courtroom safe. Yet, the Sheriff’s Office has the operational responsibility of providing security for the courts. We have operationally met our goals of saving tax-payer dollars and have satisfied Judge Dailey’s concerns regarding the level of security in his court,” said Sheriff Mark Luttrell.

The Criminal Courts will continue to have three bailiffs in each courtroom. The judges will select a “Lead Court Officer” from the bailiffs assigned to their courts by the Sheriff. As requested by Sheriff Luttrell, sergeants will no longer perform general bailiff duties but will supervise the bailiffs throughout the courts in Shelby County justice system.