AND WHAT WILL HIS ANSWER BE?
December 17, 2011
Governor Haslam,
It is my understanding that Walter Francis Fitzpatrick III is being held in a cold solitary confinement cell in the Monroe County, Tennessee jail. I also understand that he is being deprived of the medicine needed to control his diabetes.
Could this be true?? In the 21st century, in the United States of America?? If it IS true… if a corrupt sheriff in Monroe County, Tennessee, the state that YOU govern… is literally torturing a highly decorated, retired officer in the United States Navy, then you’re as responsible as is the sheriff!!
This cannot stand!! You have the authority to remedy this deplorable situation, and remedy it you must! You must not allow this honorable man to be persecuted and abused for trying to expose the rampant corruption in Monroe County, Tennessee.
My God man, what kind of state are you running up there??! Is it corrupt all the way to your office?? From all that I’ve read, and from the Tennesseeans I’ve spoken to, it certainly appears to.
If you’re an honorable man, you must intercede on Commander Fitzpatrick’s behalf. If you’re a man of God, please do the Godly thing and see to it that this man is treated humanely.
Thank you,
David Briggs
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Editor’s Note: Another note from a supporter of Walter Fitzpatrick reads:
Starting today I (we) should mail Walt Christmas Cards!
At this point our prayers and anything that encourages Walt will sustain him.
He must know we care for him! And his efforts are not in vain.
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Last year at this time, Fitzpatrick was incarcerated following a December 1 trial which stemmed from a tainted grand jury because at least two jurors had served during the term prior to issuing indictments against him in violation of TCA 22-2-314. Fitzpatrick had suggested a “Jingle Bell Campaign” to send Christmas cards to the inmates at the Monroe County jail. The address is:
Monroe County Detention Facility
319 Hickory Street
Madisonville, TN 37354
Cards and letters of encouragement can be sent simply to “Inmate” to be distributed to anyone within the facility. Chief Jailer Trent Prock, referenced in the Jingle Bell Campaign article, is no longer with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.
Another citizen letter reads:
Walter Francis Fitzpatrick III is being held in a cold solitary confinement cell in the Monroe County, Tennessee jail.
The conditions described in this jail remind me of prison camps in Poland in World War II. Has our nation become a banana republic? IS THIS the return of the WILD WEST and a SHERIFF WHO CERTAINLY APPEARS TO HAVE NO REGARD FOR THOSE BEING HELD IN THIS PRISON. If Commander Fitzpatrick dies from cold and exposure, TENNESSEE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN. Inaction is action . You need to see what is going on in the Monroe County jail system. What a Merry Chirstmas message you are sending around the coutnry if this Commander dies in prison.
A reader’s email response to our report on Fitzpatrick here reads:
For those not aware of this situation you can read the background on The Post & Email web site as they have been giving great coverage to this horrible situation for some time. This isn’t *justice* taking place – it is another form of waterboarding….done by those bullies who are part of the OCCUPATION FORCE here in America. This reminds me of the torture the OCCUPATION FORCE put former Congressman George Hansen thru…they called it DIESEL THERAPY. You can read about it at
http://www.constitution.org/ghansen/conghansen.htm .
The remedy for the corruption in east TN is for the governor to form a special task force composed of representatives from all three branches of his government. This is what was done in Manchester, KY and documented in the movie “Appalachian Dawn”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69r_yMKurx8
George Raudenbush had started this initiative with a rally of various church memberships. George was “disappeared” for his efforts, no doubt, and so the effort died. However it must be local folks petitioning/demanding that Haslam create this task force and give it all the powers and resources of the TN state
government.
Many “outsiders”, including LCDR Fitzpatrick, have gone up and down in the TN hierarchy of appropriate responsible agencies without success. But the remedy falls to Haslam and the demand must come from residents of east TN.
SWAT teams use the legal term “exigent circumstances” to justify waiving a person’s 4th A rights and doing a no knock entry (breaking your door in ). What the term means is that there are extenuating or emergency conditions in evidence. The same situation applies to Walt. His mental health is being damaged thru sensory deprivation in solitary confinement and now his physical health is being threatened by the jail not providing the diet, exercise, and monitored medication he needs to control his diabetes. It is possible that Walt cannot survive this latest sentence. Exigent circumstances exist that demand his release.
Unfortunately, as a resident of Tennessee, I have to say that this state is corrupt too. Politicians everywhere are drunk on their power. Here is what I sent to Gov. Haslam.
“Retired Navy Veteran Walter Francis Fitzpatrick III is being held in a jail cell in Monroe County for simply pointing out that the Grand Jury of Monroe County did/does not follow the law and is thus an invalid Grand Jury. Yes. How dare he question the corrupt law enforcement of Monroe County, Tennessee! What right does a citizen have to question their public servants?
I know you are aware of this situation because I have written you before about it. Your reply has always been that you can do nothing about it. There is no such thing as “can’t” there is only “won’t”. You are the governor of the state where these thugs are running roughshod over their citizens. You haven’t even had the courage to speak out against the criminals running the justice system in Monroe County. Nor have you requested that the TBI investigate the situation. Maybe it is about time, during this holiday season, to stop thinking about the politics and start thinking about the citizens of our state.
I am writing now to request that you have this decorated veteran immediately released and a trial be held to see if the Grand Jury is truly illegal, because they have not followed the jury selection process setup to insure a fair hearing by all. Your lack of concern about possible illegal behavior of law enforcement in our state makes me sick to think that I took the time and expense to go to the polls and actually cast a vote for you.”
Perhaps he could at least publish a list of what he can do. It seems the salaries of our
elected officials are a pyrrhic and detrimental investment.