People with carry permits can now carry guns into the Anderson County Courthouse, except on the third floor where judicial proceedings take place.

People with carry permits can now carry guns into the Anderson County Courthouse, except on the third floor where judicial proceedings take place.

The four signs that featured a slashed-out gun illustration were removed from the wooden doors at the Courthouse’s entrances Wednesday — following a vote by the Anderson County Commission on Monday night.

According to Anderson County Commissioner Steve Mead of Oak Ridge, the county’s authority to prohibit people with gun carry permits from carrying their guns into the Courthouse ended in February 2009.

Allowing those with legal permits to carry their guns into the Courthouse if they wish will make the Courthouse safer, he opined at Monday night’s Commission meeting.

“Criminals go places where they’re not going to be opposed,” he said, citing areas that have been the scenes of public shootings. In a packet of information he

See NO-GUN, Page 2A

handed out at the Commission meeting, he stated that “A recent study covering from 1950 to about 2010 found that all mass shootings in the U.S., except (that of) Congresswoman (Gabrielle) Giffords, were done in supposed ‘gun free zones;’ and if you think back, every one since then has been as well.”

The removal of the signs was recommended by the Commission’s Legislative Committee, following a motion by Mead and seconded by Commissioner Dusty Irwin of Clinton.

“I and 6,300 (county) permit holders would like you to stop violating our rights,” Mead said at Monday’s meeting.

Mead’s information indicates the Commission approved action to install the signs, as allowed by state law, in 2007.

During the Commission meeting, Mead asked Sheriff Paul White if he had any problem with the removal of the signs and White replied that he did not.

The signs prohibiting weapons “the areas of judicial proceedings including the third floor and all juvenile court hallways, offices, and courtrooms” remain. Violations of this constitute a Class E Felony by state law and orders of the courts.

Circuit Court Clerk Tyler Mayes said because proceedings of the court — such as lawyers talking to their clients and witnesses awaiting their turn in court take place in the hallways of the third floor — the no-gun permit rule is believed to cover the entire third floor. He said County Law Director Jay Yeager is expected to issue an opinion on the matter.

County Mayor Terry Frank confirmed that the no-guns rule also applies to the Juvenile Court areas in the Robert L. Jolley County Administration Building across the street from the Courthouse.

If people come legally armed when they arrive on the third floor of the Courthouse or into the Juvenile Court area, they will be advised to return their guns to their vehicles.

Donna Smith can be contacted at (865) 220-5502.