DA wants Chattanooga gang members declared a public nuisance
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) – The Hamilton County District Attorney General is trying to ban known gang members from partaking in a number of activities within a roughly two-mile “safety zone,” including being around other gang members.
News outlets report that District Attorney General Neal Pinkston filed a petition Monday asking that two Chattanooga gangs and 31 accused members be declared public nuisances.
If the petition is granted, officers could stop the gang members in the East Lake Courts neighborhood from participating in 11 listed activities, including drinking beer, owning graffiti equipment and signaling the arrival of a police officer.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press (http://bit.ly/2ddaqt1) reports that the American Civil Liberties Union is concerned with the petition and says authorities need to prove the 31 people are gang members before cracking down on them.
