June 05, 2015 – (Nashville, TN) – Burlison Convicted

A Davidson County jury has returned guilty verdicts in the child rape and abuse trial of a former Hermitage babysitter. Jurors heard three days of testimony in the case led by Assistant District Attorneys Alyssa Hennig and Pam Anderson. Following less than two hours of deliberation on Thursday, Becky Burlison, 42, was found guilty on two counts of Aggravated Rape of a Child and one count each of Aggravated Child Abuse and Aggravated Child Neglect.

Burlison was arrested by Metro Nashville Police in April, 2012 after the two-year-old boy she had been babysitting suffered severe injuries when Burlison inserted a brush handle into the child’s rectum. The handle broke and became lodged inside the little boy’s body.

Assistant D.A. Alyssa Henning said the babysitter had been a trusted family friend. “The family is pleased with the jury’s verdict and understand that while this doesn’t change what happened to their son it does prevent her from hurting anyone else’s child,” General Hennig said.
Assistant D.A. Pam Anderson said the case demonstrates the commitment by the District Attorney’s Office to protect vulnerable victims. “We will not tolerate this type of behavior from anyone toward children in our community,” General Anderson said.

Becky Burlison faces a minimum forty-years in prison when she is sentenced on July 10.

Click here to view the Official Release

(Nashville, TN) – Human Trafficking Unit

“The ultimate form of depravity is when a person turns a little girl into a sex slave,” District Attorney Glenn Funk said in announcing the formation of a human trafficking unit inside the DA’s Office. Four Assistant District Attorneys have been assigned to the unit and will ensure full prosecution of human sex trafficking cases in Nashville. The move comes as the TBI creates the Middle Tennessee Human Trafficking Task Force to bring greater attention to the issue. The task force, which will include the DA’s Office, End Slavery Tennessee and several local law enforcement agencies, is currently working to secure a federal grant to assist in prosecution of offenders and services for victims.

View the Official Release

May 07, 2015 – (WZTV) – Disarming Domestic Abusers

The Davidson County District Attorney’s office confiscated a handgun from a convicted abuser, one of the first cases of its kind, the department said Wednesday.

Read More at: http://www.fox17.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/Disarming-Domestic-Abusers—Eric-Alvarez-128118.shtml

May 06, 2015 – (WKRN) – Domestic Violence Prosecution Support

Numbers released this week show more than half of all crimes in Tennessee are related to domestic violence.

To curb that trend, Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk implemented a plan called the Domestic Violence Prosecution Support.

May 05, 2015 – (Nashville) – DA’s Office Receives Leadership Award for Diversity

The DA’s Office is honored to receive the 2015 Leadership Award for Diversity from the Nashville Bar Association (NBA). District Attorney Funk accepted the award during the NBA’s Annual Law Day luncheon on May 1, 2015. The award was given to the DA’s Office in recognition of its contributions to enhance diversity and professional success. District Attorney Funk has made diversity a priority by appointing more African-American and Latino lawyers and executive staff to key positions in his administration.

May 04, 2015 – (Nashville) – Jones, Mason and Martin Appointments

District Attorney Glenn Funk has announced three new appointments to the Office of the District Attorney, effective May 1, 2015. Attorneys Robert Jones, Leticia Mason and Investigator Randy Martin were sworn in Friday morning by Judge Steve Dozier.

Robert Jones is a veteran trial attorney and previously served as Shelby County’s Chief Public Defender. Attorney Jones has more than 35 years legal experience and is a graduate of Memphis State University School of Law. As an Assistant District Attorney in Nashville, he will oversee prosecution of child abuse cases.

Attorney Leticia Mason’s private practice specialized in immigration and civil law. She joins the District Attorney’s Office after having worked as a Spanish court interpreter for Davidson County Criminal Court and a staff attorney for the Mexican government. She is a graduate of Nashville School of Law.

Investigator Randy Martin retired from the Metro Nashville Police Department in 2014 after 30 years as a police detective. He joins the DA’s Investigations Unit to assist in preparing cases for prosecution.
“I am pleased to have this group of professionals join our office,” District Attorney Funk said. “Their combination of experience and commitment to public safety will ensure our office continues to focus on protecting vulnerable victims.”

View the Official Release

April 09, 2015 – (Nashville) – Boykin Sentencing

Judge Randall Wyatt has sentenced a former TSA agent to six months in jail for secretly videotaping a co-worker inside an airport restroom. Daniel Boykin, 33, was ordered to serve six-months in jail and five-and-a-half years on community corrections after pleading guilty to unlawful photography, aggravated burglary and violation of the computer act. Assistant District Attorney Amy Hunter, who called the case one of the most invasive and offensive crimes she’s prosecuted, said she is pleased with the judge’s ruling.

View the Official Release

April 13, 2015 – (Nashville) – Assistant District Attorney Stacy Miller discusses mandatory reporting of child abuse in guest article for the Metro Nashville Education Association newsletter:

In the past, the law allowed school districts to have a policy that required all teachers to report cases of suspected child abuse or neglect to a designated person within the school and then that person would make the report to the CPS hotline. The current law (Tenn. Code Ann. §37-1-403) requires that the individual who suspects abuse must make the report. Schools are still allowed to develop a policy or protocol to track such reports, but they must allow the actual person who suspects the abuse to report that abuse.

Read full article here: http://www.mnea.com/Slate/SLATE04-07-15.pdf

April 01, 2015 – (Nashville) – Cases Under Review

After an office review uncovered child abuse cases that had not been acted upon over a several year period, District Attorney Glenn Funk has appointed a team of prosecutors to determine whether the cases can still move forward. The initial discovery of more than 70 unresolved child sex abuse cases, some dating back to 2010, was made in January. A further review in March, revealed 60 additional child physical abuse cases that had not been acted upon, some of which were more than 10 years old. “The concern here is that a child might have been left in a dangerous situation or that an abuser has abused again.” Funk said. “The primary mission of the District Attorney’s Office is to protect Nashville’s most vulnerable victims. Children are among the most vulnerable.” Funk has appointed the following team to work specifically on resolving these cases:

• Katy Miller-Family Protection Unit team leader and veteran prosecutor;
• Stacy Miller-Juvenile court team leader and veteran prosecutor;
• Pam Anderson-Veteran prosecutor experienced in serious felonies;
• Robert Jones-Trial Attorney with over 35 years experience;
• Zoe Sams, Chad Butler and Alyssa Henning-Child abuse unit prosecutors

View the Official Release