TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Dec 6, 2022

Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Williamson, has sponsored a measure that would close public records in non-criminal death investigations, the Tennessee Lookout reports. Senate Bill 9 would conceal law enforcement investigative reports, 911 recordings, photographs and any other records connected to a death if law enforcement agencies determine it was not the result of a crime. The legislation comes after the suicide of country music legend Naomi Judd, whose family filed a complaint against the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office to stop the release of information from its investigation. The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government is lobbying against the bill, which it says could impose on the public’s right to critical information related to law enforcement investigations.