MISSIONARY SEEKS TO DEFEND HIMSELF AGAINST THE MACHINE OF CORRUPTION
by Sharon Rondeau
(Jul. 2, 2011) — The Post & Email was contacted recently by George Raudenbush, who had been incarcerated in the Monroe County jail between December 30, 2010 and February 18, 2011 for allegedly assaulting a police officer, driving without a seat belt, driving uninsured, and other charges.
Raudenbush had reported that rather than assaulting Officer Brian Millsaps, Millsaps broke the window of the church vehicle with a flashlight which Raudenbush had been driving on December 30, 2010. Raudenbush denies all of the charges.
A missionary who works with Raudenbush stated that he observed the vehicle involved in the December 30 incident after it was impounded and that there was “not even the smallest scratch or dent in the car.”
Raudenbush’s preliminary trial was held on January 18, 2011. The verdict was seven charges to be forwarded to the grand jury resulting in seven indictments.
Raudenbush has been informed that his trial on those charges has been scheduled for August 24, 2011 and will be presided over by Judge Carroll L. Ross. “He is rushing me to trial and to judgment and doesn’t want to give me sufficient time to mount a proper defense,” Raudenbush said. He also reported that Ross has stated that Raudenbush will not be provided with defense counsel, which defies Article I, Section 9 of the Tennessee constitution:
That in all criminal prosecutions, the accused hath the right to be heard by himself and his counsel; to demand the nature and cause of the accusation against him, and to have a copy thereof, to meet the witnesses face to face, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and in prosecutions by indictment or presentment, a speedy public trial, by an impartial jury of the County in which the crime shall have been committed, and shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself..
The juries in Monroe County have proven themselves to be rigged with jurors not eligible to serve. “Handpicked” jurors suggest that the juries are not impartial, which is another violation of the same section of the state constitution.
Of jury selection, Tennessee Code Annotated states:
22-2-301. Automated selection of names for jury list. [Effective in Certain Counties. See the Compiler’s Notes.]
(a) The jury coordinator in each county shall select names of prospective jurors to serve in the courts of that county by random automated means, without opportunity for the intervention of any human agency to select a particular name and in a manner that causes no prejudice to any person. The names, which shall constitute the jury list, shall be compiled from licensed driver records or lists, tax records or other available and reliable sources that are so tabulated and arranged that names can be selected by automated means. The jury coordinator may utilize a single source or any combination of sources. The jury coordinator is prohibited from using the permanent voter registration records as a source to compile the jury list.
Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III was told by Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood that he could not have a defense attorney prior to his trial on December 1, 2010. Judge Amy Reedy allowed a man to be condemned to life in prison after a prosecutor improperly raised new allegations not supported by evidence presented during the trial. Reedy also demonstrated familiarity with the jury foreman. The Monroe County chief clerk has stated that a judge may find a foreman “from wherever they choose,” contrary to the law cited above.
Monroe and McMinn County Judges have also proven themselves liars.
In response to learning the date of the trial, on June 28, 2011, Raudenbush filed five notices with court clerk Renee consisting of:
- A Notice of Clarification as to why he was denied counsel
- A Notice of Designation for the Appellate Court under Rule 9 containing all letters, filings and pleadings of the case
- A Notice of No Transcript in which Raudenbush stated that he never received a transcript from his preliminary trial on January 18, 2011 and that it is needed for the appellate court
- Notice to the judge to reconsider his decision due to errors which Raudenbush claims were made
- A Notice stating that if Judge Ross fails to answer Notice #4, he should recuse himself from hearing the case.
Raudenbush filed an appeal to the charges on June 14, 2011. He told The Post & Email that “If the appeal goes through, it will suspend everything on the lower court level.”
In a separate case, Monroe County Sheriff Bill Bivens ordered a tractor-trailer belonging to a non-profit youth mission group to be confiscated which Raudenbush stated has now been held for seven months. He stated that the sheriff’s department “has committed fraud by grand theft, and we will be filing a lawsuit for reimbursement” for the trailer. The seizure of the church property as well as other crimes committed by Monroe County public officials have been reported to the Knoxville office of the FBI. The Post & Email has contacted the state legislators from the district about the corruption but received no response.
Of the judicial system in Monroe County, Raudenbush stated, “They have a hate for anyone who walks in truth and righteousness. These are evil people guilty of deceit and murder.”