posted February 21, 2008
The last time I checked it is completely legal to go to Tunica and visit a casino and play the slots, video poker, blackjack or whatever game one enjoys. So why, all of a sudden, does everyone develop amnesia when questioned about trips to Tunica?
Chief Deputy Sheriff Allen Branum, when asked by Richard Casavant, said he went "some time back." When pressed further, he said, "It was probably within the past year," which doesn't meet my definition of "some time back."
General Sessions Court Judge Ron Durby said he made a recent trip with Billy Long, but he "cannot remember" who else was in the car. Are you telling me a judge can go on a six-hour trip each way recently and can't remember who else was in the car?
Have you ever driven from here to Tunica? It's not like the scenery on the way is so overwhelming one would forget who he was in the car with.
Just wondering.
Douglas Jones
Chattanooga
* * *
Excuse me, a judge doesn't remember who was in the car with him on a six-hour trip. But he can remember the law and hand down verdicts. And he is out of office when? Oh please, tell me another whopper from the bench.
So I'm doing something illegal by playing the lottery? I thought gambling in Tunica was legal or does it depend on who you are?
Don't you think Mr. Long has enough troubles right now that you guys could just tell the truth? Or is that asking too much?
Johnny White
jcw5126@yahoo.com
* * *
Hmmmmm..
Mr. Gorman said, "Allen Branum is a good person. He is not a gambler."
So if you gamble, you are a bad person? What the heck is he trying to say?
Oh, brother, I am throwing my hands up at the whole thing..
I'm done.
Annette Allen
* * *
Why did the judge ever mention the trip to Tunica with the former sheriff? Was he trying to cast more shadows on Billy Long, or just add fodder to suspicions?
Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe Mr. Branum doesn’t want his name associated with the trip or speculation that he was involved in Billy Long’s habits? Also, maybe the judge didn’t want to disclose who he traveled with them to protect their image as well.
Billy Long was wrong to get involved in these crimes, but does that mean that anyone who associated with him was also involved? Please allow people to have some privacy and give them the benefit of the doubt.
Sylvia Lyons
Chattanooga
tnlyons@bellsouth.net
* * *
I too have made many trips to Tunica and have enjoyed every one. In fact I enjoyed them so much that I now live in the heart of a dozen casinos. I find it unbelievable that one could find nothing they liked about them.
There are other things to do: wonderful entertainment, food, and shopping malls. Gambling is a part of it. The wrong is not in going, it is about lying.
Allen Brannum has disqualified himself from being appointed Sheriff of Hamilton County by lying. As for the judge, I find it amusing that he can't remember that he took a trip to somewhere for six hours and can't remember who was with him.
Jimmy Moore
Gulfport, Ms.
jmm39507@bellsouth.net
* * *
Mr. Branum's performance before the County Commission should remove him from consideration as interim sheriff. With a memory like his, he should be in an assisted living facility.
Wayne Braly
* * *
General Sessions Court Judge Ron Durby said he made a recent trip to Tunica with former Sheriff Long. The judge said he cannot remember who else was in the car on the six-hour trip.
I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe that I could spend six hours in a car with someone and not remember who they are. How many lapses in judgment in court cases have been made because of this convenient amnesia?
Chief Branum on Wednesday was asked twice by Chattanoogan.com if he had gone to Tunica with former Sheriff Long, who is now in jail on federal charges. Chief Branum indicated he had not, saying, "I can't afford to do that."
Chief Branum told the commissioner, "I have been before. I went one time in my whole life. I was on my own time."
Asked who was with him on the trip to Tunica, he did not answer at first and then said, "The sheriff - the former sheriff - was there."
I never went to Tunica. Oh wait, yes I did. It was with the sheriff, but I hated every minute of it. Besides, it was a long, long, long, time ago, like eight months or something.
We should hire this man immediately as our new sheriff. It appears that he has the qualifications that we as a city are looking for.
Chattanooga's new slogan to attract businesses to our fair city should be our law enforcement may seem corrupt, but at least our schools are violent.
The tired old adage is that 99% of law enforcement is above reproach. It's the 1% that give the rest a bad name. That may have been true decades ago but now it seems that with all the scandals going on in the police department one wonders how much corruption takes place that we don't even know about. Kind of like when you see one roach. You may have only seen one, but deep down you know that there are many others that are hidden. Sounds to me like the feds need to do a complete and thorough investigation of our city and county police departments. We may have another New Orleans on our hands here.
Mary Anne Watkins
Maryannewatkins39@yahoo.com
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