Convicted Former Sheriff Has Rights Restored

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A former sheriff of Cannon County who was convicted nearly a decade ago of two felonies had his rights restored Monday morning in Cannon County Circuit Court.

Judge Bart Stanley, Jr. granted the petition filed by Charles S. Brandon, Jr. for "Restoration For Civil Rights & Citizenship."

However, while Brandon had his right to vote, right to hold public office and right to serve on a jury restored, it is still not clear whether he would be eligible to run for his former office should he chose to do so in the future.

In fact, District Attorney General Bill Whitesell, representing the state, said following the hearing it was his opinion Brandon could not run for sheriff again.

"Although his rights are restored, I don't believe he can run for public office, particularly for sheriff, because by statute convicted felons can not run for sheriff," Whitesell said.

Brandon lost his citizenship rights and resigned as sheriff after he was convicted of certain felonies while holding the office of Cannon County Sheriff.

He pled guilty to official misconduct in 2001 in Cannon County and was convicted by a jury that same year in Rutherford County of conspiracy to coerce a witness and coercion of a witness.

Attorney Darrell Scarlett, representing Brandon, said that the former sheriff, who had been "declared infamous" by his 2001 conviction, had met all of the requirements to have that disability removed.

Judge Stanley said he did not approve of restoring Brandon's rights, but could cite no legal reason not to do so.

"Conviction of conspiracy to coerce a witness is a real kick in the gut to the judicial system," Stanley said.

The former sheriff's convictions came after a lengthy investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation which led to Brandon's indictment on 40 counts of official misconduct, 1 count of sexual battery, 2 counts of tampering with evidence and 1 count of coercion of a witness.

Those charges stemmed from accusations by several female inmates at the Cannon County Jail that Brandon had sex with them while they were incarcerated and that he then attempted to intimidate witnesses involved in the case.

As a result of the indictments, all female inmates were removed from the jail and housed in Rutherford County for almost a year at Cannon County's expense.
 
Brandon received probation and the sentence period has expired.

According Brandon, he has sustained the character of a person of "honesty, respectability and veracity, and is generally stemmed as such by his neighbors." He told the court Monday that he does carpentry work.
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December 06, 2010 at 2:50pm
This is crazy!!!! If you are a convicted felon how is the world do you ever get your rights restored??? This is pitiful and a mockery to our system and everyone who is truly honest without having to have their probationary period expire to prove it!
December 07, 2010 at 7:27am
THIS IS MY OPINION AND MINE ONLY LIKE IT OR NOT”
This is the craziest thing I've heard in my entire life. A man, a sheriff, a public official was served an indictment with charges which includes, 40 counts of official misconduct, 1 count of sexual battery, 2 counts of tampering with evidence and 1 count of coercion of a witness.

JR. BRANDON, WAS CONVICTED OF NOT ONE BUT TWO FELONIES, HE EVEN PLED GUILTY TO OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT. WHY DOES THAT GIVE THIS JERK A RIGHT TO HAVE HIS RIGHTS RESTORED, THEY WOULDN’T GIVE THEM BACK TO ANYONE ELSE, JR. BRANDON IS NO DIFFERENT SO WHY TREAT HIM ANY DIFFERENT. THIS JERK NEEDS TO BE TREATED THE SAME WAY AS A CHILD MOLESTER OR A SEX OFFENEDER IS TREATED POST HIS PICTURE ON THE SEX RESIGESTY FOR EVERONE TO SEE EVEN THE ONES THAT DON’T KNOW HIM WILL KNOW TO KEEP THEMSELVES AS WELL AS THEIR CHILDREN AS FAR AWAY FROM THIS MONSTER AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN THIS MAN IS AS DANGEROUS AS A CHILD MOLESTER, OR A RAPIST. HE IS A SICK MONSTER.


THIS DEVIL IS NOT & WILL NOT EVER BE HONEST. HE IS NOTHING TO THIS COMMINUITY, TOWN, CITY, OR ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO USE THEIR AURITORTY AND USE IT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.
JR. BRANDON IS NO MORE THAN A CHILD MOLESTER,OR A RAPIST IN MY OPINION!!!!!!!!!!!
December 07, 2010 at 7:42am
I have never in my life heard of such a thing. Anywhere! Ludicrous!
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December 07, 2010 at 4:13pm
Unless the law is amended by the General Assembly, a convicted felon cannot run for Sheriff or Constable in the State of Tennessee, although other rights, i.e, suffrage, right to bear arms, etc. have been restored.
December 08, 2010 at 1:58am
Anyone who has had a felony can go to court and try to get their rights back. However, that doesnt mean that the felony is erased from their record. It only means that they get certain rights back.
December 10, 2010 at 10:07am
Oh my.
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