Today, Explained Ruthless County, Tennessee
Oct 25, 2021
Meribah Knight, a senior reporter with Nashville Public Radio, unveils the disturbing saga of juvenile justice in Rutherford County, Tennessee. She discusses the alarming trend of a judge sending children to jail for nonexistent crimes. Knight highlights a specific case involving the arrest of young girls, revealing systemic issues in local governance and racial biases. The conversation delves into the emotional toll of detention and calls for accountability in a flawed system that disproportionately affects minority youth.
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School Arrests
- Four Black girls, aged 8-12, were arrested at their elementary school in Tennessee.
- Their alleged crime was witnessing a fight between boys and not intervening.
Bogus Charge
- Police arrested the girls after obtaining a video of a schoolyard scuffle involving young boys.
- They charged the girls with "criminal responsibility for conduct of another," a bogus charge for not stopping the fight.
Detention and Solitary
- Eleven children were arrested, some held for multiple days, after the schoolyard scuffle.
- One 12-year-old, Jacorius Brinkley, was placed in solitary confinement for standing near his cell door.