NARSOL demands answers from parish officials
published here….
Washington, D.C. — The National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws – NARSOL — demands answers from Tangipahoa Parish officials regarding the savage beating and death of Tommy Joe Smith while in custody for a technical probation violation. According to media accounts, parish officials have thus far declined to discuss their policies for the housing of those who have been convicted of sexual crimes.
NARSOL demands that parish officials respond to the following questions:
- Did Mr. Smith see a classification officer prior to his placement in general population?
- If not, how was the decision made to classify him as appropriate for general population?
- Does the Tangipahoa Parish jail have adequate staff to monitor the inmate population?
- What was the staff to inmate ratio at the time of the incident?
- Does the facility have direct supervision into the housing unit where Mr. Smith was housed?
- Does the facility have emergency buttons or other mechanisms for an inmate to summon help?
Tommy Joe Smith was convicted in October, 2015, of a sexual battery charge involving a juvenile female. He was given a probated sentence, and part of the probation requirements was his not having a Facebook account. When his probation officer learned of an old Facebook account that Smith had not closed, he violated him, and Smith was arrested January 30, 2017, and placed in a general population dorm in the Tangipahoa Parish jail.
That night he was attacked by eleven other inmates, ranging in age from 18 to 38. He was beaten and savaged so viciously that the funeral home, in advising the family against an open casket due to his condition, said his was “the worst body they have ever had to work on.” Personnel at the jail compared the attack to a “shark feeding-frenzy.”
Brenda Jones, executive director of NARSOL, commented about the responsibilities of the various parties involved. “It is the responsibility of the convicted person,” she said, “to be in compliance with his conditions while on probation. But it is even more contingent upon law enforcement to provide safe housing for inmates.” She continued, “They place the individual in a locked facility; he has no option but to be there; he has no way to defend himself against violent attack. If law enforcement does not provide the means to keep prisoners safe from harm, law enforcement must bear the responsibility when harm comes.”
“Tommy Joe Smith was the father of two children. They, and his other family and friends, want answers,” concluded Jones. “So do we.”
NARSOL calls upon the officials in Louisiana, and indeed in every state, to protect their prisoners. To fail to do so is criminal.
Prisoners using someones convictions as justification to take out their anger on them and commit murder. If not dealt with harsh enough will become the norm and it is not part of the prescribed punishment. This must not be allowed to continue. Fear of life and limb is not supposed to be included in the justice system or it would be cruel unusual punishment.
Dave D,
The funny thing about these jailhouse warriors who don’t like sex offenders is that they will be the first ones to “sexually harass” the female prison guards. I know. I’ve seen it, I’ve heard it.
In the county jail I was in prior to sentencing, there was a Latina corrections officers who was seriously SMOKIN hot. Every ghetto, ratchet thug on the cell block would nearly be masturbating when she did her walk throughs. And the things they would say were so demeaning to her as a woman, you had to wonder how any of these men ever got laid out in the world.
So these prison warriors are just a bunch of hypocrites. The longer they’re locked up, the more intense their sexual frustration becomes. And if they were to be locked in a room with a 15 yr old, make no mistake that they wouldn’t take advantage of it.
Prison warriors make me sick. They committed crimes also. That’s why they’re there. But don’t expect them to mind their own business – ever.
This is so sad, no one deserves to die like this, I don’t care what he did! I hope these redneck bastards, that put him in the general population with all these low life animals, get the shit sued out of them, better yet I hope they wind up locked in a jail cell fighting for their lifes against 12 other inmates! And for a probation violation!
Upon reading this, I am to the point of giving up any fight against the system. I am so appalled by this, I find myself literally grieving tears for this man. How this could happen in America is an absolute disgusting shame. This thread should explode with anger! This is the direct result of the reaction of the courts to prosecute anything and everything under the sun. WHY CAN’T ANYONE SEE THAT? So he had a facebook account… SO WHAT! Have him log on with his PO there and close it, no big deal. But no, that isn’t possible in the USA, and definitely not to the TANGIPAHOA PARISH Sherrifs office which posts pictures of officers in full military gear with bullet proof vests and machine guns on the front page of their website. Yeah, that’s a friendly group of people who want to “serve” the community. That is the world we live in, and yet NARSOL makes no mention of the complete over exaggeration of a simple stupid completely harmless technical probation violation, but rather that Mr Smith should have been protected better. Apparently if he had no issues, his prison sentence would have been ok with everyone and wouldn’t even make news here. It takes his brutal and horrendous death for any mention to come to the surface. While I don’t know the circumstances of his crime, it’s unlikely he lured his accuser using facebook. But this mans life means NOTHING! Absolutely nothing! The value of his life takes vast priority to the system by being locked up and sucking up tax money than being able to be loved by the members of his family. I’m so sick of this crap. This is a prime example of the government going far FAR FAR overboard with prosecutions!
I take a strong issue with Ms Jones assertion that the system needs to do more to protect the prisoners. That statement completely foregoes the fact that the court system is NOT, I repeat is NOT EVER ONCE EVER an entity with any soul or compassion towards the life of anyone. They are a group of cut throat individuals hell bent on making a volcano out of a mouse fart for their own gain. Their calloused temerity knows no limits. I would wager my retirement and my life that the DA who wrote him up and threw him in jail is most likely sleeping like a baby tonight, confidant that he did the right thing. I’m sure the news of the man being killed for something so stupid is as much a bother to him as the dirt under his fingernails. I’m so outraged by this, and it’s weighed so heavily on me, there is absolutely no escape from the tyranny of the court system. This is what we’re fighting against, and NARSOL, I hope you wake up and begin to see this as the forefront to the struggle of the registry.
HnH, I really feel you in this comment – and I and the rest of our Board are all incensed that this can (and does) happen anywhere. I don’t know where you are from, but I do also know that there ARE still courts that are fair, or try to be, even when a PO tries to violate someone over a minor technicality, or a prosecutor goes for the throat. No, THIS court did not, and THIS parish did not. We are grieved by this every bit as much as you are.
With this press release, we specifically chose to attack the prison system that failed to protect Tommy once he was violated. This was his RIGHT to safety that was violated, every bit as much as registered citizens’ RIGHTS are violated by being punished beyond their sentences and beyond reason. It is not that we have no care for the stupidity of such a violation, or for the heartless system that gave no quarter to this man. We don’t know his full story, but what we DO know without a shadow of a doubt is that REGARDLESS of what he did in the first place, or what his violation might have been, he had a right to be reasonably safe in that prison.
Rest assured that as much as we are able, we will continue to fight for persons convicted of sexual offenses whenever and wherever we can.
George Carlin once said, “Rights aren’t rights if they can be taken away.” The Bill Of Rights and the Constitution established those so-called rights. If we break the law we lose those rights. The courts, the entire legal and punitive entity, at times, take little regard in an individuals rights once they are on the other side of that fence. It opens the opportunity to violate peoples rights. In this case they took this guy’s last right away: the right to live.
Breaking the law or being accused of committing a crime does not negate most constitutional rights. In fact, some of the strongest and most important rights are designed specifically for the situation of being accused of a crime. I believe that this is the primary reason that NARSOL exists, to fight against the violation and the taking of these rights from those accused of sexual crimes and those living with the aftermath of a sexual crime conviction.
I stand corrected. When you ;break the law you lose some of those rights. I apologize for implying that we have no rights at all. I’m glad that there are rights established for the accused. I am very grateful for everything that NARSOL has done on our behalf. It’s sad that this person is another casualty in the fight for our rights.
Did someone say Probation violation for not closing their face book account? Sounds strange to me but the main thing about face book is that they don’t want people talking to kids…. I can arrest and assure you that one doesn’t want to go back to their vomit.
Law enforcement are just as guilty by this. They are suppose to protect and serve. This guy lost his life in Jail. How I don’t know. The beatings I don’t know but I would have to say that all this needs to be addressed. Yes, I will be going back to court for my little face book violation but face book is not the point its authorities that want to be big daddy bad..a__ if you want to call it that.
While I answered everything truthfully about my face book ordeal and even buying alcohol (which was rubbing alcohol) they still say I disobeyed the PO”s orders which was vague at the least. So the whole ordeal has to be from square one and he is giving me that opportunity. … these are a lot of hurdles for the sex offender to go thru but a lot of it is man’s/government’s pride……. since when is deception legal to use or in that case lying………. in this case that got that boy killed.
Unfortunately, this is how society sees sex offenders no matter if they are convicted be Australia e they are guilty or because our decradon sentencing guidelines allows prosecutors all the power in the courtroom, not the judge, to coerce people into pleading guilty and get a lesser sentence. Child pornography crime sentences have increased 500% over the last 15 years. The sad part is the way the sentencing guidelines are written; one size fits all. A person who downloads child pornography will get just as much prison time, and in some cases more than someone who actually touches a child. I do not condone either, but what is wrong with this picture. It is because of the stigma of the sexual offender. All these national organizations want to reduce the mandatory minimum sentences for drug charges, and I am for that too. But, no one wants to step up and go toe to toe with Congress and the State legislators in an effort to reduce sentencing guidelines for child pornography possession. Many of the people start looking at adult porn first. Just like drugs, alcohol, food, it becomes an ADDICTION. All the courts want to do is put people in prison and throw away the key instead of addressing the addiction and getting people the help they need. It would cost taxpayers a lot less money if the courts would provide low level, non-violent offenders treatment, instead of prison where taxpayers have to feed, clothe any house them to the tune of about $35,000 per year. Beatings such as this would not occur hopefully. However, until society’s stigma changes regarding sexual offenders, unfortunately, they are guilty until proven innocent.
I hope the family of the victim sues the county/state, probation, and the sheriff for hundreds of millions of dollars. These people only listen to money and listen they will.
This is why I keep mentioning that there needs to be an address to the states that Probation is a complete and utter waste and needs to be abolished along with the registry.
Probation officers are walking egos and power trips. Nothing more.
Robin I hope you are reading this! The attorney for the social media oral argument could probably use this. Even though it was a probation violation I believe Louisiana still has a social media ban. Even if they dont it should still show how stupid and over reaching laws like these are. Was it in his plea deal as a special condition? If not (which i would bet) and there isnt a social media ban then the probation dept overstepped. We need scotus to rule once and for all social media bans are unconsitutional unless it is included in a plea. A loss of life over a facebook account not being closed, unbelievable.
If he used his real full name on his Facebook page, I’m surprised Facebook themselves didn’t close his account. They closed MY account twice..and I used a FAKE name. I think they do facial recognition and caught on by my pics of me and my ex.
We ALL have a right to know what’s going on in the world. Social media is becoming the norm for this even more than the TV news.
Lots of companies are forcing people to go through their Facebook pages to get in touch with them or, in some cases, even apply for jobs! Yes! I’ve seen it myself.
At my former job, my boss used to tell us to help get the word out about our live entertainment and drink specials by going on Facebook and helping to advertise for our restaurant. This was AFTER my 2nd FB page got deleted by FB so I didn’t bother making a new one again. It’s pretty friggin awkward when you’ve got co-workers wanting to talk about how they got “x” amount of people liking their posts about our live events and I’m looking and pretending to agree but not ever having the courage to say “I can’t have a FB page because apparently I’m a monster”. The only person who knew of my offense background was the man who decided to hire me. I don’t tell everyone and I’ve told my Probation officers that I am NOT telling everyone and they were ok with that decision.
But my point here is Facebook kicks off sex offenders who are still on the registry so how did this man’s FB page still stay active AFTER his conviction?
We can fight the social media ban all we want with the local authorities, but remember, the social media sites take it upon themselves to do background checks and remove you from the site.
If you’re on the SOR, you can’t even use Match.com … I know…I tried.
Google “Facebook Deep Face.”
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/02/facebook-will-soon-be-able-id-you-any-photo
This is another example of the madness that is running rampant in our country. The views of so many average citizens are shaped by what they read and hear concerning people convicted of sex offenses. Most of what they read and hear is based on misinterpretations, misinformation or outright lies.
Even within the community of people who are labeled as sex offenders, their family members and the organizations who are supposed to be helping them in their struggle, there is labeling. I try and read everything new that is posted concerning the plight of the registered citizens. Many comments state, or hint at, that the registry should only be for the really serious sex offenders. What does that really mean?
Please, let’s not start dividing ourselves up into segments and start deciding who deserves relief and who does not. In the eyes of these other inmates in that jail, it didn’t mean a damn what he was convicted of — he was a sex offender and they have been conditioned to respond to sex offenders in this way.
My questions are:
Are these attackers being charged with murder? If not, why not?
Is this the first time this particular parish jail has had attacks such as this?
Why aren’t crimes such as this labeled as hate crimes?
H n H I agree with your point to some extent. I deleted my face book accounted or deactivated it in front of my PO but that doesn’t cut the mustard. Brenda I agree with a lot of your things you are trying to do and Sandy sometimes I don’t know where your coming from.
Now the law doesn’t have to tell the public anything, as they are a Law to themselves. Yes they started out serving the public but do you all know what government is all about or why it was instituted?
A government exist to serve those oppressed? Lets say I didn’t want to go to War. Well from governments view point I’m a draft dodger. Lets say I didn’t want to go down and meet some fictitious person. Well the government said they would come and get me anyway. Yes we all have second thoughts about right and wrong but it seems today government is never wrong.
Now why does one want to condemn an advocate to try and help others? You know we are only human and we all have mixed opinions but stand up for one’s rights is the right thing to do….Where is the love in any of this? None of us are perfect.
It is as OBVIOUS as the sky is BLUE. The PROBLEM is the wording of his original charge: Sexual battery of a Juvenile Female. That phrase sounds bad. That simple wording can conjure up all sorts of imagined and dastardly things. Did the original problem (his original conviction) warrant such a broad and somewhat SCARY definition. VERY doubtful. The law process seems to have a perverted understanding of the use of language. Perverted in the sense that the words they use are misapplied and redefined to suit their whim. With little or no regard for letting words accurately stay within their clear definitions.
I hold the PROSECUTORS, the JUDGES, AND THE LAWYERS accountable for this murder. The inmates and the guards who house them are barely literate, much less intelligent on the whole. The guards knew his original charge wording, they knew he would be targeted. The word got to the prison population, and that was all it took. They knew this would happen before it happened. The words – Sexual Battery of a Juvenile Female – they illicit a knee jerk reaction, especially from the uneducated and uninformed. The persons who formulated applied those words know this.
Not the least of which is the PO who violated him over an old, unused FB account. Get a life. You must be kidding me. All the trouble and hassle and taxpayer’s costs of incarcerating someone over an abandoned FB account????
The haughty members of the Tangipahoa Parrish Sheriffs department who are gloating over this death like – ‘Ha, Ha, Ha. We take care of perverts in this land.’ You are the true ignoramus and pervert and you, along with those I before mentioned, will stand before the judgement of the Almighty Creator. That is all I know to say.
I know none of these people and I never have met any of them. But I am as sure as the sky is blue this is the result of the perverted and dastardly way lawyers and judges are allowed to mess around with the language and stigmatize someone far beyond and above what would be appropriate for whatever misstep, accident, or misdeed they may be in trouble over.
We need an intelligent legal system, not this evil monstrosity we are living under the yoke of.