New Reckless Endangerment Law Goes Into Effect
Nashville's WLPN radio has been reporting on some of the new criminal laws that went into effect at the start of the New Year . Tennessee has created a new class of reckless endangerment charges. Senator Mark Norris spearheaded the new law based upon the drive by shootings that occur in Memphis, Tn. The new law makes it a Class D felony when a firearm is discharged into an unoccupied home and it is a Class C felony if the home is occupied. The price tag for the new law is just $59,000.00 per case. This is just one more example of passing laws for political capital.
A Nashville assistant district attorney commented in the story that he did not think it would make a difference in gang related drive by shootings. Tennessee does not need to put a new criminal law on the books. Just use the ones we have. If someone shoots into a occupied house , it is called attempted first or second degree murder. It appears Tennessee tries to solve every problem by creating a new criminal law . Tennessee is fast becoming overcriminalized .The Wall Street Journal reports that there are over 4500 federal criminal laws and over 300,000 regulations that carry criminal penalties. The article further reports that the law is eroding the criminal intent element that is required in most crimes . What new criminal laws are on the horizon in Tennessee ?
