An area of judicial reform in Tennessee is the adequacy of charging instruments. No one should face a criminal charge without there being particular reference to the statutes given. Police in Chattanooga regularly file criminal charges absent citations of statute. Another missing element in virtually every criminal charge filed in Hamilton County and the other 94 counties in the state is that of intent. By David Tulis / 92.7 NoogaRadio The mens rea, or guilty mind, statute in Tennessee requires that intent be alleged in every charge and in every element of a charge. “A person commits an offense who … Continue reading Cops, DA’s fail to tell ‘essential elements’ of crime