51-Year old Richard Silk will act as his own attorney when he appears in court on Friday in Rutherford County. Silk was arrested this past April with 25-year old Joyce Thomson of Murfreesboro in connection with what has been described as a “child neglect situation.” Thomson is said to have an attorney, but according to the court docket, the attorney was not named.
Looking back to what landed the two in a situation that usually requires the use of an attorney… Murfreesboro Police met with a Department of Children Services Investigator at the home of Silk and Thomson on Katelyn Court to investigate deplorable living conditions. The investigation began in early March and the charges were officially issued at the start of April. One Murfreesboro Officer wrote in a report filed on April 3rd, “The conditions, which were detailed in Officer Brinkley’s report were dirty, filthy, and hazardous for children of that age.” The kids in question who were staying in the home at the time of the report were 4, 5 and 6 years of age.
The duo will appear in court on Friday for a pre-trial discovery hearing. Each face three charges of reckless endangerment and will be back in court on May 29 to file a plea in their case.
Source:
Murfreesboro Police Arrest Report #13-4655 A, B
Tennessee Code Annotated 39-13-103
Rutherford County Court Docket
T.C.A 39-13-103. Reckless endangerment.
(b) (1) Reckless endangerment is a Class A misdemeanor;
(2) Reckless endangerment committed with a deadly weapon is a Class E felony;
(3) Reckless endangerment by discharging a firearm into a habitation, as defined under § 39-14-401, is a Class C felony, unless the habitation was unoccupied at the time of the offense, in which event it is a Class D felony;
(4) In addition to the penalty authorized by this subsection (b), the court shall assess a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00) to be collected as provided in § 55-10-451 and distributed as provided in § 55-10-452.
HISTORY: Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 2011, ch. 409, § 1; 2012, ch. 1048, § 2.
