"Tennessee Three" Rep. Justin Jones sues House speaker, says he was unconstitutionally expelled
CBSN
One of the Tennessee lawmakers who was briefly expelled from the state Senate has sued the state of Tennessee and several politicians, claiming that he was unconstitutionally removed from office.
Rep. Justin Jones was one of three Democrats involved in a gun control protest on the House floor in April after a shooting at The Covenant School left three students and three teachers dead. Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson, who are Black, were expelled, while Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is White, narrowly avoided removal. The two lawmakers were later reinstated to office and won special elections to retain control of their seats.
In his suit, Jones said that he was expelled for attempting to lead "open discussion about the use of weapons of war in murdering six Nashville citizens" and since his reinstatement has been "blocked from expressing views on critical issues that he was elected to express, ensuring that viewpoints dissenting from their own are silenced, neither heard nor spoken." As part of his expulsion, Jones was also removed from House committees, including the Government Operations and Education Administration committees, which he said he has not yet been restored to.
On the eve of the D-Day invasion, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower spent the remaining hours of daylight with the paratroopers who were about to jump behind German lines into occupied France. A single moment captured by an Army photographer became the most enduring image of America's greatest military operation.
This story previously aired on March 6, 2016. Child Advocate: Do you know why you are here today? 911 operator: 911. What is your emergency? 911 operator: Is there anybody else in the house with you? Robin Doan [to 911]: I so hope my mom is not dead. Robin Doan [to 911]: Please can you just send somebody out here? Robin Doan [to 911]: I'm cold. I'm very cold. Robin Doan [to 911]: I heard my mama scream ... Robin Doan [to 911]: I want my mom. I want my mom. Robin Doan [to 911]: It's on Highway 70. It's about 13.3 miles out from the bowling alley. I have a purple shirt on I have purple pants on. Robin Doan [to 911]: All I want right now is my blanket and my pillow. ... I see him. I see him. Robin Doan [advocate interview]: I really don't want to go to sleep anymore. It makes me to where I'm too scared. I really don't want to go to sleep. OK. Robin Doan [advocate interview]: He had shot in my room and missed me. Advocate: Did you hear anybody say anything. Could you hear anybody talking? Robin Doan [advocate interview]: I don't know this for sure but I thought I saw a white eyes ... a white face. Robin Doan [advocate interview]: And when he shot I saw a flash. Robin Doan [advocate interview]: I can't talk about it. It's too heartbreaking. Levi King interrogation: Before I even realized it, I mean, I'd just pointed it at him and fired.