Free Republic

(Shelby County, TN) An accused burglar shot by a homeowner has died at The Med. Deputies say 20-year-old Rashawn Calvin tried to break into a house Saturday night on Jonesy in Southeast Shelby County. Once inside, the homeowner shot him several times, including once in the head. The homeowner, who was inside with his son, will not face any charges. “The homeowner does not face any charges because he was protecting himself, his family and his home,” said Washington. Deputies say Calvin was not armed when he entered the house, but a weapon was later found inside his car. Deputies...

(Tipton Co., TN) A homeowner was shot in the leg by an intruder early Tuesday. The alarm system and sounds of someone downstairs woke the homeowner, who grabbed a handgun and went to the stairs. That’s where he encountered an armed intruder, who began shooting at him. The homeowner said he returned fire, and was shot in the leg. He was taken to the Med for treatment. Authorities say some of the details provided to them are still unclear. Detectives are questioning people and tracking down possible leads. “This was a very violent situation where luckily the homeowner wasn’t injured...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – A man has been charged after being shot by a homeowner during an alleged attempted burglary on Thursday morning. Murfreesboro Police charged 19-year-old Gage W. Dalling with one count of aggravated criminal trespass and two counts of burglary. The homeowner, Milton Heath, told police he was getting ready for his morning walk around 6:30 a.m. Thursday when he spotted a man trying to break into his home on W. Clark Boulevard. Heath grabbed his .22-caliber revolver and confronted the man, later identified as Dalling. Parkerson said Heath told him to keep his hands up, but when the...

(Memphis) Police say a man chased down a pair of burglars. The homeowner not only shot at them as they tried to break into his home, but actually followed them in his car to make sure they got caught. Two brothers are now in jail, charged with attempted burglary and attempted murder. “It all happened so fast,” said Mr. Hall. “They got out of the car and started shooting at me.” Not everyone would do what this man did. He didn’t want to be on camera and just wants to be called ‘Mr. Hall.” “How many times did they shoot...

(Shelby County) A home invasion suspect is in critical condition after getting shot in S.E. Shelby County. Shelby County Deputies were called to the scene in the 4400 block of Jonsey just before 9:00 p.m. Saturday night. When they arrived they found a male with multiple gunshot wounds. Shelby County Spokesperson, Chip Washington told WREG two suspects were trying to break into the home when someone from inside fired a gun, hitting one of the intruders. The other suspect is in custody but has not been charged at this time. We have a crew on the scene gathering information and...

A U.S. attorney in Tennessee is reportedly vowing to use federal civil rights statutes to clamp down on offensive and inflammatory speech about Islam. Bill Killian, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, was quoted by the Tullahoma News this week suggesting that some inflammatory material on Islam might run afoul of federal civil rights laws. "We need to educate people about Muslims and their civil rights, and as long as we’re here, they’re going to be protected," Killian told the newspaper. Killian, along with the FBI special agent that runs the Knoxville office, are set to speak next...

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Spring rains cascade over the lip of the Norris Dam in a torrent of white foam and spray. A hundred yards downriver from this concrete waterfall, people stop at the little park to record the scene on their smart phones or digital cameras. It is an image made for a postcard -- a remarkable marriage of nature and technology. And a centerpiece of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Created in 1933 by President Roosevelt, the TVA brought electricity to Appalachia, with the goal that wiring up Tennessee, parts of North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi would help bring prosperity...

(Memphis) An elderly man in South Memphis woke up to a burglar in his home.Police say he didn’t cower in fear, he shot the man hitting the burglar twice!The alleged criminal is OK but he might have learned a lesson!Mr. John Lewis says he was sleeping in his bedroom when he heard a noise out in his living room.He peaked out his bedroom and found himself face-to-face with a burglar, “He told me about three times ‘close your door or I will shoot you. I got a gun.”Lewis says he obeyed the burglar and went back in his bedroom, but...

The Battle of Athens (sometimes called the McMinn County War) was a rebellion led by citizens in Athens and Etowah, Tennessee, United States, against the local government in August 1946. The citizens, including some World War II veterans, accused the local officials of political corruption and voter intimidation. Here is what happened: Following World War II in 1946, violence erupted when returning American soldiers discovered their Tennessee county had been taken over by political corruption. Their plan to take it back involved bullets—lots of bullets—and dynamite. Why Athens in McMinn County, Tennessee became a battleground was due to Paul Cantrell,...

Senator Lamar Alexander has been a thorn in Tennessee’s side since 1979. He is not a conservative Republican. In fact, truth be known, he has sided with Obama over 62% of the time. Right now he is acting as the bagman for his buddy, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, and his great desire to tax the internet and put more small businesses out-of-business. First though, let’s look at Lamar’s history. He has worked in the private sector for only short periods of time. Lamar was Born in Maryville, Tennessee, which is only 20 minutes from where I live. He is a...

After I (Pharmboy) returned from King's Mountain (the wife and I stopped by there on the way back from attending my son's graduation from US Army Ranger School at Ft Benning), Bert told me that he and his wife would be following the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (OVNHT) from Eastern TN to King's Mountain, SC. I told Bert that I would love to see his account of the trip, and that I would also like to post it to FR: well, he did a terrific job on his blog, here are some excerpts. Go to the blog for more!...

Last week, shortly after a key provision of the Senate gun control bill was voted down, former Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod took to Twitter to announce his displeasure over the bi-partisan opposition to this legislation. Mr. Axelrod Tweeted “No Senator who heeled today on the NRA’s command should have the gall to issue mournful statements the next time gun violence strikes.” This comment is distasteful as it is illogical. It is especially offensive because the efforts by the White House and their allies are more about winning an ideological battle than truly addressing the underlying causes of...

Several readers had e-mailed me about the story of a 14-year-old who was apparently told that he couldn’t wear an NRA T-shirt (which depicted a rifle), and then arrested when the dispute escalated. Yesterday, he was apparently back in school (see ABC News and Washington Times) wearing the shirt, and many classmates are wearing the shirt, too. From the Washington Times account: Jared Marcum, 14, was joined by about 100 other students across Logan County who wore shirts with a similar gun rights theme in a show of support for free speech. Ben White, the Charleston lawyer representing the Logan...

Melton Hill Drive property Saturday, authorities said. He hit a tire. But the trio was able to escape in the black car—at least temporarily, authorities said. The three were arrested later after a search that included the Clinton Police Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, and a Knox County Sheriff’s Department helicopter, the CPD said in a news release posted on its website. It all started when Jimmy Foster, the Melton Hill Drive homeowner, returned home Saturday and found the black Taurus in his driveway as well as people allegedly loading what appeared to be his property into the vehicle, the...

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The parking lot in front of Freedom Deli at 2088 Lowes Drive in Clarksville was filled Friday, March 29 with over 200 supporters of the 2nd Amendment at a Rally for the rights of gun owners. Tennessee State Senator Mark Green spoke from the back of a truck and lent his support to the cause, beginning by reading from the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be...

March 27, 2013: HELP US MOVE TENNESSEE KNIFE RIGHTS BILL: Knife Rights has just received word that HB0581, a Knife Rights requested bill that would enact Knife Law Preemption, repeal Tennessee's antiquated ban on automatic knives (switchblades) and repeal the the state's four-inch knife length limitation, is being held in the Tennessee House Ways and Means Committee. If you live, work or travel in Tennessee, please call Ways and Means Committee Chairman Mike Harrison at 615-741-7480 and politely request that he move HB0581 to a vote in the committee. If you get voice mail please leave a message for him...

Pigeon Forge, TN - A pastor said he cast out a demon, but a lawsuit contends the only the plaintiff's tooth was exorcised. According to The Mountain Press, Andrew Byrd filed a $3.7 million lawsuit against the Family Chapel Church of God in Pigeon Forge; pastor Joel Arwood; Arwood's wife, Theresa Arwood; and Charles Shields. Byrd said the Arwoods asked to meet him last February at the church, where Teresa Arwood said he had a demon in him. Byrd said Joel Arwood and Shields jumped him, knocking out a tooth crown and cracking other teeth.

<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Gov. Bill Haslam says Tennessee won't participate in a partnership with the federal government in establishing a health insurance exchange.</p>

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Republican lawmaker is proposing legislation that would require schools to inform a student's parents if the child is engaging in homosexual activity. Under the measure sponsored by Sen. Stacey Campfield of Knoxville, a school counselor, nurse or principal can inform parents if their children's "circumstances present immediate and urgent safety issues involving human sexuality." Campfield told reporters on Wednesday that he considers the "act of homosexuality" to be dangerous to a child's health and safety. The measure is part of a similar proposal, known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, that Campfield passed in the Senate...

The following incident happened at a high school only minutes from my home in East Tennessee. I am sure that no one outside of our immediate region has ever heard the story, because the only person who was shot-and killed-was the gunman. These types of stories don’t fit the narrative of those who want “gun-free zones” and so are ignored by the national media. In this case an armed Security Resource Officer, Carolyn Gudger, became a local hero and saved an unknown number of lives by holding the gunman at bay until backup arrived. The text below is drawn from...