Editing Rutherford County, Tennessee (section)

==Government and politics==
[[File:Rutherford County Judicial Building.jpg|thumb|Rutherford County Judicial Building in Murfreesboro]]

===County Commission===
The Board of County Commissioners, the county legislative body, consists of 21 members elected for four-year terms from [[single-member districts]] based on roughly equal populations.

===County Mayor===
The county mayor is the chief executive officer and is elected from the county [[at-large]].

===Assessor of Property===
The Assessor of Property is responsible for the valuation of all property in order that it be taxed by the county commission and mayor to raise funds necessary to operate county government and is elected from the county [[at-large]].
[[Rob Mitchell (Tennessee Property Assessor)|Rob Mitchell]] is the current [[Assessor of Property]] and has held office since 2012.

===Presidential politics===
{{PresHead|place=Rutherford County, Tennessee|source=<ref name=leip>{{Cite web|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 12, 2020}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|88,811|56,656|2,734|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|81,480|59,341|3,057|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|64,515|36,706|6,215|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|60,846|36,414|1,588|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|59,892|40,460|1,547|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|52,200|31,647|562|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|33,445|27,360|1,377|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|24,565|22,815|4,214|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|18,877|21,084|7,179|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|20,397|12,245|159|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|19,503|11,618|348|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|11,208|15,213|929|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|7,921|14,854|307|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|11,256|5,811|487|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|4,168|4,921|7,773|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|4,088|9,580|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|4,526|6,410|116|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|2,713|6,494|99|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|3,196|6,793|72|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|854|4,151|1,073|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|879|4,730|29|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|782|4,207|20|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|580|4,101|29|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|606|3,924|20|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|1,429|2,115|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|680|2,137|32|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|1,881|3,406|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,116|2,941|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,217|3,406|344|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,226|2,764|0|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|1,348|2,504|37|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|1,429|2,517|95|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|2,203|3,352|82|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|1,210|2,211|635|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|2,479|3,302|215|Tennessee}}
{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|2,040|2,828|36|Tennessee}}
{{PresFoot|1880|Democratic|2,482|3,855|77|Tennessee}}
{{clear}}

===Political history===
This area of the state was predominately Democratic following the [[American Civil War]], but the significant minority of African Americans joined the Republican Party. The white-dominated state legislature in the 1880s passed four laws that effectively [[Disfranchisement after Reconstruction era|disenfranchised most blacks]] and many poor whites, particularly due to the requirement of payment of a [[poll tax (United States)|poll tax]] in order to register to vote, which reduced the competitiveness of the Republican Party in this part of the state.<ref name=leip/>

Since the late 20th century, the majority of white conservatives in Rutherford County shifted toward the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. Since this time, the changing demographics of the county has shown a significant increase in minorities; however, this change has resulted in no significant impact to party alignment. In recent years, the county has favored Republican candidates for local, state, and national elections. Democratic strength is largely concentrated in [[La Vergne, Tennessee|La Vergne]] and parts of [[Murfreesboro]] itself, with La Vergne having voted Democratic in every recent statewide election except [[2022 Tennessee gubernatorial election|2022]] and Murfreesboro being carried by [[Phil Bredesen]] in [[2018 United States Senate election in Tennessee|2018]] and lost by [[Karl Dean]] and [[Joe Biden]] by single-digit margins in [[2018 Tennessee gubernatorial election|2018]] and [[2020 United States presidential election in Tennessee|2020]] respectively.<ref>https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::c0ed8258-ce44-4eec-9736-2cc3b86a9d16</ref> Nonetheless, Rutherford County has no Democratic [[Tennessee General Assembly|state legislators]] due to Republicans [[gerrymandering|splitting Democratic voters in La Vergne and Murfreesboro]] among all five [[Tennessee House of Representatives|state House]] districts assigned to the county,<ref>https://mtsusidelines.com/2024/11/03/are-rutherford-countys-new-house-districts-fair/</ref><ref>https://wpln.org/post/what-do-you-see-in-tennessees-new-legislative-map-for-democrats-its-bad-signs-and-gerrymandering/</ref><ref>https://mtsusidelines.com/2024/09/10/mtsu-campus-was-legally-cut-in-half-by-tennessees-most-recent-round-of-political-gerrymandering/</ref> leaving it with no districts Bredesen would've won despite his strength in La Vergne and flip of Murfreesboro.<ref>https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::c0ed8258-ce44-4eec-9736-2cc3b86a9d16</ref>

===Sheriff and jail===
In 2008, the county built a $23,300,000 expansion to the county jail.<ref name="black_children_jailed_2021_10_08_propublica_org" /><ref name="work_begins_2007_02_16_murfreesboropost_com">{{cite news |last=Marchesoni |first=Lisa |date=February 16, 2007 |title=Work begins on $25 million juvenile, adult facilities |url=https://www.murfreesboropost.com/news/work-begins-on-25-million-juvenile-adult-facilities/article_b2c050d6-cda0-523a-99b4-cb81d884a7e7.html |work=Murfreesboro Post |access-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref>  It is alleged that some county officials viewed the jail as a for-profit business.<ref name="jail_promo_video_2021_10_07_propublica_on_youtube" /><ref name="work_begins_2007_02_16_murfreesboropost_com" />

In May 2016, Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold, his Chief Administrative Deputy Joe L. Russell and the sheriff's uncle were named in a 14-count federal indictment charging fraud, bribery, extortion, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy for operating an [[e-cigarette]] business, for personal gain, in the jail. State officials reported that the JailCigs business gained over $110,000 in revenues pocketed by Arnold and Russell. All pleaded guilty. Arnold was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison, his deputy to 15 months.<ref name="sheriff_pleads_guilty_2017-01-18_dnj_com">[https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2017/01/18/sheriff-arnold-pleads-guilty/96711572/ "Rutherford County sheriff pleads guilty to fraud, extortion,"] January 18, 2017, Murfreesboro ''[[Daily News Journal]]'' retrieved October 27, 2021</ref><ref name="former_deputy_2017_11_19_wmsr_am">[https://www.thunder1320.com/news/former-rutherford-county-sheriff-chief-administrative-deputy-headed-to-federal-prison/ "Former Rutherford County Sheriff Chief Administrative Deputy Headed to Federal Prison,"] [[WMSR (AM)]], retrieved October 27, 2021</ref><ref name="sheriff_sentenced_2017_05_04_justice_gov">[https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-tennessee-sheriff-sentenced-federal-corruption-charges "Former Tennessee Sheriff Sentenced on Federal Corruption Charges,"] May 4, 2017, Office of Public Affairs, [[U.S. Department of Justice]], retrieved October 27, 2021</ref> Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh replaced Arnold.<ref name="tbi_assisting_2017_11_17_murfreesboro_post">Stockard, Sam: [https://www.murfreesboropost.com/news/tbi-assisting-investigation-into-inmate-s-attempted-suicide/article_ee1fa948-cbcd-11e7-946e-5f20d2b5b8c8.html "TBI assisting investigation into inmate’s attempted suicide,"] November 17, 2017, ''Murfreesboro Post,'' retrieved October 27, 2021</ref> Sheriff's Major Terry McBurney pleaded guilty to unrelated charges, losing his citizenship.<ref name="major_expected_2017_01_26_tennessean_com">Barchenger, Stacey: USA Today Network - Tennessee: [https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2017/01/26/rutherford-sheriffs-major-expected-plead-guilty-corruption/97094242/ "Rutherford sheriff's major expected to plead guilty,"] January 26, 2017, ''[[Nashville Tennessean]],'' retrieved October 27, 2021</ref><ref name="mcburney_pleads_guilty_2016_04_15_murfreesboro_post">Stockard, Sam: [https://www.murfreesboropost.com/news/mcburney-pleads-guilty/article_9b0c126d-7255-57b4-b74e-f92e9dd5c3f8.html "McBurney pleads guilty,"] February 2, 2017, ''Murfreesboro Post,'' retrieved October 27, 2021</ref>

In December 2016, following multiple deaths in the jail that year, including two suicides<ref name="third_inmate_death_2016_04_15_murfreesboro_post">Stockard, Sam: [https://www.murfreesboropost.com/news/third-inmate-death-this-year/article_d5dc6fc2-16da-58b2-9097-5df4a0c0f023.html " Third inmate death this year ,"] April 15, 2016, ''Murfreesboro Post,'' retrieved October 27, 2021</ref><ref name="tbi_assisting_2017_11_17_murfreesboro_post" /><ref name="state_decertifies_2016_12_07_tennessean_com">Broden, Scott: [https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2016/12/07/state-decertifies-rutherford-county-jail/95093914/ "State decertifies Rutherford County jail,"]  December 7, 2016 ''[[Nashville Tennessean]],'' retrieved October 27, 2021</ref> (one resulting in a $260,000 lawsuit settlement against the county),<ref name="settlement_reached_2021_12_09_murfreesboropost">[https://www.murfreesboropost.com/news/settlement-reached-in-jail-suicide-lawsuit/article_1306346c-7dad-5d5b-8cba-f5265a6f28fd.html "Settlement reached in jail suicide lawsuit,"] December 9, 2016, updated October 26, 2017, ''Murfreesboro Post,'' retrieved October 27, 2021</ref> state inspectors decertified the jail, citing faults in the jail's policies, programs, staffing and the physical plant.<ref name="tbi_assisting_2017_11_17_murfreesboro_post" /><ref name="state_decertifies_2016_12_07_tennessean_com" /><ref name="jail_recertified_2017_06_07_dnj_com">Ragland-Hudgins, Mealand: [https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2017/06/07/rutherford-county-jail-recertified-state/378519001/ "Rutherford County jail recertified by state,"] January 18, 2017, Murfreesboro ''[[Daily News Journal]]'' retrieved October 27, 2021</ref> Following numerous changes to policies and facilities—particularly inmate supervision and monitoring, and converting 400 beds to [[bunk bed]]s, to allow the jail to hold 950 people—the jail was recertified in 2017.<ref name="tbi_assisting_2017_11_17_murfreesboro_post" /><ref name="jail_recertified_2017_06_07_dnj_com" />

===Juvenile justice and jail===
{{see also|Rutherford County, Tennessee juvenile arrest and incarceration scandal}}
In 2000, Rutherford County created the post of Juvenile Court Judge to oversee the county's juvenile justice procedures.<ref name="black_children_jailed_2021_10_08_propublica_org" /><ref name="judge_jailed_minors_bogus_charges_2021_10_12_pbs_org" />

As part of the $23 million development of the county jail, in 2008, a juvenile detention center (JDC) was added.<ref name="black_children_jailed_2021_10_08_propublica_org" /><ref name="work_begins_2007_02_16_murfreesboropost_com" /> Some county officials allegedly viewed the juvenile jail as a for-profit business.<ref name="jail_promo_video_2021_10_07_propublica_on_youtube" /><ref name="work_begins_2007_02_16_murfreesboropost_com" /> At a public meeting, JDC director Lynn Duke stated that, “If we have empty beds, we will fill them with a paying customer" and "We get a lot of business” A county commissioner added, that "Hey, it’s a business. Generating revenue."<ref>[https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2022/may/1/11-million-settlement-reached-tennessee-suit-alleging-false-arrest-and-false-imprisonment-minors/#:~:text=Duke%20publicly%20stated%2C%20%E2%80%9CIf%20we,Generating%20revenue.%E2%80%9D "$11 Million Settlement Reached in Tennessee Suit Alleging False Arrest and False Imprisonment of Minors"] Edward Lyon, ''Prison Legal News'', May 1, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.</ref>

The county then solicited other counties in Tennessee and surrounding states to send detained youth to the Rutherford County juvenile jail for incarceration, at $175 per day per child, and said that over 20 Tennessee counties had contracted with Rutherford's juvenile jail.<ref name="jail_promo_video_2021_10_07_propublica_on_youtube">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igoy0sq4noQ "What Can the Rutherford County Juvenile Detention Center Do For You?"] (video, with text annotations), government of Rutherfound County, Tennessee, obtained by [[ProPublica]] and posted October 7, 2021, retrieved October 12, 2021.</ref><ref name=JDCvideo/> The county released a marketing video, "What Can the Rutherford County Juvenile Detention Center Do For You?” featuring images of children in black-and-white striped prison uniforms, and narrated by Juvenile Court Judge [[Donna Scott Davenport]], to solicit business for the JDC. As of 2021, 39 Tennessee counties were contracting with Rutherford County to incarcerate youth, along with the U.S. Marshals Service.<ref name=JDCvideo>[https://www.propublica.org/article/we-reported-on-a-county-that-has-jailed-kids-for-a-crime-that-doesnt-exist-readers-reacted "We Reported on a County That Has Jailed Kids for a Crime That Doesn’t Exist. Readers Reacted."] Brooke Stephenson, [[ProPublica]], October 15, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.</ref>

It is alleged that in subsequent years, the singular Rutherford County juvenile judge and local authorities, including the county's Juvenile Detention Center director Lynn Duke, colluded in the arrest and incarceration of hundreds of children, some as young as seven years old, on various misdemeanor charges, including schoolyard fights, truancy and cursing. All arrested children were jailed in the detention center, pending adjudication and assessment.<ref name="judge_jailed_minors_bogus_charges_2021_10_12_pbs_org" /><ref name="rutherford_county_judge_2021_10_11_wkrn_com">{{cite news |last=Harris |first=Gerald |date=October 11, 2021 |title=Rutherford Co. judge, who illegally jailed Black children using fake law, faces renewed criticism |url=https://www.wkrn.com/news/rutherford-county-judge-who-illegally-jailed-black-children-using-fake-law-faces-renewed-criticism/ |work=[[WKRN-TV]] |location=Nashville |access-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref><ref name="judge_faces_criticism_2021_10_14_abcnews_go_com">[https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-faces-criticism-report-black-children-illegally-jailed/story?id=80536288 "Judge faces criticism following report that Black children were illegally jailed in Tennessee county,"] October 14, 2021, [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]], retrieved October 15, 2021</ref>

In 2021, journalists reported that children were being incarcerated in the county's juvenile jail at a rate ten times higher than the state's average,<ref name="sickening_2021_10_12_tennesseelookout_com">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=October 12, 2021 |title=Sickening: Systemic abuse in Rutherford County calls for action |url=https://tennesseelookout.com/2021/10/12/editors-column-sickening-systemic-abuse-in-rutherford-county-calls-for-action/ |work=[[Tennessee Lookout]] |location= |access-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref><ref name="black_children_jailed_2021_10_08_propublica_org">{{cite news |last1=Knight |first1=Meribah |last2=Armstrong |first2=Ken |date=October 8, 2021 |title=Black Children Were Jailed for a Crime That Doesn't Exist. Almost Nothing Happened to the Adults in Charge |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/black-children-were-jailed-for-a-crime-that-doesnt-exist |work=[[ProPublica]] |access-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref><ref name="judge_jailed_minors_bogus_charges_2021_10_12_pbs_org">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=October 12, 2021 |title=Tennessee judge jailed minors on bogus charges following playground fights, cursing |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/tennessee-judge-jailed-minors-on-bogus-charges-following-playground-fights-cursing |work=[[PBS Newshour]] |access-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref><ref name="new_report_2021_10_09_msbnc_com">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=October 9, 2021 |title=New report shows Rutherford County, Tennessee's juvenile justice system has a staggering history of jailing children |url=https://www.msnbc.com/american-voices/watch/new-report-shows-rutherford-county-tennessee-s-juvenile-justice-system-has-a-staggering-history-of-jailing-children-123178565695 |work=[[MSNBC]] |access-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref><ref name="judge_faces_criticism_2021_10_14_abcnews_go_com" /> and that some children were arrested and jailed for alleged violations of non-existent laws.<ref name="black_children_jailed_2021_10_08_propublica_org" /><ref name="judge_faces_criticism_2021_10_14_abcnews_go_com" /><ref name="tennessee_county_2021_10_08_forbes">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=October 8, 2021 |title=Tennessee County Reportedly Illegally Jailed Hundreds of Children Charging Some-with Crimes that Don't Exist |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2021/10/08/tennessee-county-reportedly-illegally-jailed-hundreds-of-children-charging-some-with-crimes-that-dont-exist/?sh=4ba5271c7468  |work=[[Forbes]] |location= |access-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref>  [[Class action]] federal lawsuits resulted in the county ending solitary confinement of children in custody.<ref name="black_children_jailed_2021_10_08_propublica_org" /> In May 2017, a federal court said that children were being illegally detained in Rutherford County, and ordered the county to stop using its "filter" system because it "departs drastically" from ordinary juvenile detention standards.<ref name="black_children_jailed_2021_10_08_propublica_org" /><ref name="judge_faces_criticism_2021_10_14_abcnews_go_com" />

In June 2021, Rutherford County settled with plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit, agreeing to payments of up to $11 million, to up to 1,450 potential claimants for wrongful arrest or incarceration, but denying any wrongdoing.<ref name="black_children_jailed_2021_10_08_propublica_org" /><ref name="minors_settlement_2021_09 _29_dnj_com">[https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2021/09/29/former-minors-illegally-incarcerated-can-get-cut-settlement/5897244001/ "Illegally jailed as minors, 1,450 eligible in $11M settlement from Rutherford County,"] September 29, 2021, updated October 18, 2021, Murfreesboro ''[[Daily News Journal]],'' retrieved October 27, 2021</ref> The settlement amount was amended to $5.1 million in December 2021.<ref>[https://eu.dnj.com/in-depth/news/2022/06/23/rutherford-county-ignored-2004-study-showing-too-many-kids-jailed/8853391002/ "Rutherford County officials rejected 2004 study showing they jailed too many children"]  Scott Broden, ''Daily News Journal,'' June 23, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022.</ref> The settlement was subsequently denied by the county's insurer, Lloyd's of London, which wrote that the county was aware of its illegal juvenile detention practices prior to its coverage by the insurer, but "concealed or misrepresented material facts" to obtain the policy, which voided the policy; the county filed a federal lawsuit against the insurer in December 2022.<ref>[https://wpln.org/post/rutherford-county-is-back-in-court-over-juvenile-arrests-now-fighting-insurer-to-cover-its-payouts/ "Rutherford County is back in court over juvenile arrests, now fighting insurer to cover its payouts"] Meribah Knight, December 1, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.</ref>

In August 2022, Republican Juvenile Court nominee Travis Lampley won the judgeship, stating the goals of restoring confidence in the juvenile court, and pledged "to uphold the integrity of the family unit", while the Rutherford County Commission is assembling a new Juvenile Detention Board to "oversee incarceration operations", including juvenile detention staff, who report to Judge Davenport.<ref>[https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2022/08/04/travis-lampley-andrae-crismon-rutherford-juvenile-court-judge-race/10184017002/ "Travis Lampley wins Rutherford County Juvenile Court judge race"] Scott Broden, ''Daily News Journal,'' August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2022.</ref>

===Privatized corrections===
Rutherford County outsourced some of its probation administration to Providence Community Corrections, and, in 2015, the arrangement was alleged in court to have violated racketeering laws—jailing impoverished people who did not pay court fines for misdemeanor offenses and traffic violations, and refusing to waive fees for indigent convicts. Seven probationers, many sick or disabled, living on food stamps, charged in court that they lost housing, jobs, cars—after multiple threats from Providence that they would be jailed for failing to pay.<ref name="Private_Probation_Company_nytimes_com">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=October 1, 2015 |title=Private Probation Company Accused of Abuses in Tennessee |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/02/us/private-probation-company-accused-of-abuses-in-tennessee.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=October 13, 2021}}</ref><ref name="probation_violations_2014_10_18_commercialappeal_com">Willard, Michelle: [https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/crime/2014/10/18/probation-violations-help-fill-county-jail/17522985/ "Probation violations help fill county jail,"] October 18, 2014 ''Murfreesboro [[Daily News Journal]] in [[Memphis Commercial Appeal]],'' retrieved October 22, 2021</ref>  In 2017, Rutherford County consented to end the use of for-profit, private probation companies, and PCC agreed to pay $14 million, spread among up to 25,000 court-identified victims, to settle the class action lawsuit.<ref name="thousands_2019_01_08_newschannel5_com">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=January 8, 2019 |title=Thousands receive settlement checks in for-profit probation case |url=https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/thousands-who-paid-fees-to-rutherford-county-probation-company-receive-settlement-checks-this-week |work=[[WTVF-TV]] |location=Nashville |access-date=October 13, 2021}}</ref><ref name="settlement_2018_05_07_prisonlegalnews_org">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=May 7, 2018 |title=14.3 Million Settlement for Probationers Subject to Extortion by Private Company |url=https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2018/may/7/143-million-settlement-probationers-subject-extortion-private-company/ |work=Prison Legal News |location= |access-date=October 13, 2021}}</ref>