TBI's Terry Dicus vs The Courier and Free Press

You Just Can’t Make this Stuff Up.

What do you call a TBI Investigator and licensed attorney that delivers a “Notice of Action Against Periodical” to The Courier to demand that “A full and complete retraction is demanded” of my comments in the Letter to the Editor on March 21, 2013? Who does this dude think he is?

It seems that this “pending plaintiff” thinks that my reference to a”pet TBI agent of tampering with a grand jury” and “guilty of official corruption, the most malignant peril to the criminal justice system” are both defamatory and untrue. Well I’ll be .. .

I did not name or identify who the “pet TBI agent” was by name, in my article, however, Mr. Terry Dicus, Jr. has come forwarded with his notice and has identified himself. Thanks Terry, I kinda figured you were the weak link, with your ego and all.

Mr. Dicus also informed The Courier that “[w]hile the complainant refuses to comment on the existence of a grand jury inquiry that is secretive according to state law, he intends to vigorously prosecute these libelous charges.” I wonder how he intends to do that without proving that his bogus information to the grand jury panel kinda already confirms “the existence of a grand jury inquiry.”

What is about to become clear is that although they think everything they do behind the door of the grand jury is forever secret, they may have forgot that in this vary rare case there is a CITIZEN, myself, that is not bound by their forever secret limitations.

This “lawyer” should know that case law reflect that an essential part of the constitutionally protected freedoms of speech and press is the right to debate public issues and to examine and criticize the conduct of governmental officials. In fact, this right had been characterized as a "political duty" that "should be a fundamental principle of the American government." The Tennessee Supreme Court has likewise observed that "the news media have not only a right but a duty to make searching inquiry into all phases of official conduct and to realistically evaluate and assess the performance of duty by public officers."

I will posted a copy of Mr. Dicus’s letter to The Courier in the file section of TheNewSavannahJournal. It is almost like Mr Dicus doesn’t understand the concept of free speech or even the basics about freedom of the press.

I wonder how he will try to explain all of this to his bosses.   Respectfully submitted for your consideration.   Uncle Ted