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Tennessee prosecutors tell committee felony-murder tools are necessary to hold violent teams accountable
Summary
Representing Tennessee district attorneys, Steven Crump urged lawmakers not to repeal or substantially weaken felony-murder or criminal-responsibility laws, saying they deter violent crime and ensure accountability for all participants in dangerous felonies.
Steven Crump, executive director of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference and a former elected DA, told the Judiciary Committee that felony-murder and criminal-responsibility statutes are practical, long-used tools that "protect Tennesseans, deter violent crime, and hold all culpable actors accountable." He warned that carving exceptions could "reward delegation of violence" and let dangerous participants evade responsibility.
Members pressed prosecutors on safeguards against overcharging and local variation in charging practices. Crump pointed to prosecutorial discretion, the grand-jury and jury processes, pretrial motions and sentencing practices as checks, and said district attorneys decide what to charge within the law. He declined to recommend specific statutory language at the hearing but said his office reviews suggested changes when language is proposed.
