TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Feb 10, 2023

Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk's team installed listening devices around the office capable of picking up conversations of employees and visitors who are not warned about audio monitoring, NewsChannel 5 reports. Funk's office says the move was a necessary part of office security and "there is no reasonable expectation of privacy for conversations in public places." Some disagree pointing to federal and state wiretapping laws that make it a crime to record conversations of unsuspecting individuals. Defense attorneys also are expressing concern. Jonathan Cooper, a past president of the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer (TACDL), called it a "betrayal of trust” noting it is common for defense lawyers to go to the office with associates, co-counsel or investigators. The vendor that installed the devices has confirmed they were placed in elevator lobbies and the main office lobby.