Grand Jury declines to indict Snake salvation preacher

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Andrew Hamblin (the young one, like 22, with a bunch of kids) had declined to plead out and was facing trial.

 

wate.com/story/24397536/grand-jury-declines-to-indict-campbell-county-preacher-in-snake-handling-case

 

 

Quote

Pastor Hamblin was cited in November for having dangerous wildlife. Fifty venomous snakes were seized from his church, The Tabernacle Church of God in LaFollette.

 

Hamblin entered a not guilty plea a few days later. The case was sent on to the grand jury in December.

 

Hamblin said he is fighting for his right to worship with snakes, calling it a civil rights battle.

 

Hamblin appeared before a Campbell County grand jury on Wednesday. The jury returned a no true bill, which means it decided there is no probable cause or evidence that a crime was committed.

[doggie]

pointless you can't stop them. So give them some really poisonous snakes and let nature take it's course. a few black mamba's would take care of the issue.

[RosyDaisy]

pointless you can't stop them. So give them some really poisonous snakes and let nature take it's course. a few black mamba's would take care of the issue.

I thought Tennessee had a law that forbids keeping indigenous reptiles?

[Mecca]

I thought Tennessee had a law that forbids keeping indigenous reptiles?

They do. Apparently it does not apply here if you abuse and kill snakes for religious purposes. :roll: I read that Hamblin was allowed to address the Grand Jury and that his argument was the snakes were not his but the churches. Forget about the hours of footage from the reality show highlighting Hamblin breaking the law and starving the snakes to death. He also said the Wildlife Officials had no business raiding the church. I guess his argument was compelling because they did not indict him and there are no other plans from the TWRA to revisit this.

Hamblin will not quit. More snakes will die and eventually another one of these idiots will too. These idiots believe Jesus delivered Hamblin from the clutches of Satan because he escaped jail. Whatever. I won't cry when this guy gets bit and dies. You play with venomous snakes, adventually you get bit.

[apple1]

I thought Tennessee had a law that forbids keeping indigenous reptiles?

TN does.

I suspect that the grand jurors were influenced, or at least ambivalent, about the religous freedom argument, and therefore refused to indict. They probably felt that a constitutional right to freedom of worship overrode TN laws about reptiles.

Changing subject - I am in no way in favor of worship involving snakes. But I do not wish ill on these people. I can only think of a bunch of little kids being left parent-less. The whole situation of uneducated, unemployed, poor people with their belief system and several small children breaks my heart. And the parents are barely out of childhood themselves. Very sad.

[nelliebelle1197]

So where does this guy thinks he lives?

"Although it's nothing major in a lot of people's eyes, it may be a foundation being laid for religious freedom across the nation. Let people worship and let them be. They may be different from you. You may not understand it. But you don't have to partake in it," Hamblin explained.

[Mecca]

So where does this guy thinks he lives?

Funny Hamblin should say that because a few years back when I lived in East Tennessee, these where the same group of people protesting about a Mosque being built in Middle Tennessee. He might want to practice what he preaches.