Could the Defendants in the Isbill Homicide wind up like O.J. Simpson?...Not Guilty!

Several reasons why the case could face pre-trial tainting or issues of fairness: Amended cause of death and delayed homicide ruling.

Changing the finding of death from “natural causes” to “homicide” after several months raises questions about the process, the timing, and how evidence was handled. That creates potential for arguments about reliability of forensic findings, disclosure of videos, chain of custody, etc.

1. Sheriff Jones publicly commented on the investigation, including what the pathologist did or did not view, and implicitly defended his office (“did I or do I believe my staff is guilty of homicide? The answer is unequivocally NO” according to his statement). 

   When a top official publicly takes such positions or makes strong statements,  it can raise issues of prejudicial commentary or create the appearance the investigation is being steered, which defense attorneys might argue undermines a fair process.

2. Social media posting / public dissemination... the sheriff posting information (or possibly partial information) on social media before trial can be problematic.  It may influence public opinion, potential jurors, or even the perception of impartiality.  If the post includes investigative commentary or conclusions, that could raise issues of pre-trial prejudice.  Use of restraint chair, lengthy detention, alleged lack of medical checks.   The underlying facts (that Isbill was in a restraint chair for many hours, may not have been offered water/medical attention,  had underlying cardiac issues)  create factual complexity.  Defense could argue neglect, failure of medical care, or policy violations — and there may be an argument the sheriff’s office conducted internal review or made statements that might bias the case comparison to high-profile precedent.   In the O. J. Simpson case, law-enforcement conduct (e.g., alleged mishandling of evidence, public statements, media circus) played a huge role in how the case was perceived by the public and jurors.  While the facts differ, the pattern of official actions that could impact perceptions of fairness, impartiality or reliability is analogous.   The conduct of Sheriff Tommy Jones and his office  (public statements, social media posting, scrutiny of the pathologist, etc.)  could taint the case and become grounds for the defense to challenge the fairness of the trial.  If the issues are significant enough, they could lead to motions to suppress evidence, change of venue, or even appellate issues later on.
3. Whether it will have the same kind of dramatic impact as the O.J. Simpson case depends on many factors: the strength of the evidence, the transparency of the forensic process, how the prosecution handles disclosure, how the defense leverages these issues, and the public/jury environment in Monroe County.

Lawsuit-Friendly Counties draw hyper-litigants from far and wide

 

A real and growing issue for law enforcement agencies and municipalities across the U.S. The term “serial litigant” or “hyper-litigant” refers to individuals who repeatedly file lawsuits (sometimes dozens or even hundreds) against government entities, often alleging civil rights violations or police misconduct.

Litigants who frequently engage in legal action are likely to be drawn to jurisdictions perceived as plaintiff-friendly. Such “lawsuit-friendly” counties often provide procedural or cultural advantages that increase the likelihood of favorable outcomes, thereby incentivizing forum shopping and undermining uniform application of the law.

The allure of lawsuit-friendly counties rings like a bell to hyper-litigants, many of whom derive their livelihood from the continual filing of claims.

Among the most vulnerable targets are law enforcement officers who lack adequate training or experience. When procedural errors or lapses in judgment occur, hyper-litigants are quick to capitalize, filing suits that exploit even minor missteps. This dynamic not only burdens local courts but also strains public resources and undermines confidence in the justice system. 

Over time, the concentration of such cases in a few plaintiff-friendly venues encourages a culture of opportunistic litigation—one that rewards manipulation of venue and penalizes honest service. 

Extreme Case Samples: 

Anonymous Participant 364 moved to Monroe County in 2017: using multiple aliases and shell companies, has been involved in more lawsuits than any other Monroe County resident.

Jonathan Lee Riches became notoriously known as one of the most prolific pro se litigants in U.S. history. While serving a federal prison sentence, he filed thousands of lawsuits — literally over 2,600 by some counts — against a vast range of defendants.

His lawsuits included filings against:
Public figures like George W. Bush, Martha Stewart, and Britney Spears;
Corporations such as Google, NASCAR, and even “The Eiffel Tower”;
Abstract or fictional entities — once he sued “the Roman Empire” and “the planet Pluto.”

How Some Major Events Help or Hurt Our Communities... The Law of Consequences

 There is no tragedy that cannot be turned into a publicity stunt. It’s a cynical thought — and yet, in today’s world of 24-hour news cycles and institutional storytelling, it often proves true. Modern media and government relations have perfected the art of transforming real pain into strategic narrative. In this economy of attention, sorrow becomes a kind of currency.

Consider the 2022 case of a missing child that gripped local media for two full days. What could have been a brief report — a child missing, then found — was stretched into an orchestrated event. The public was made to feel suspense, fear, and relief, all wrapped into a two-act story arc. Yet those who were there remember it differently. The boy was found sitting quietly, soon after the search began, sitting under a tree near his grandmother’s house--unhurt, asking only, “Where’s my Daddy?” It was an ordinary, tender moment — but such moments don’t make headlines. What did make headlines was the performance: the successful search, the triumphant recovery, the reaffirmation of institutional competence. 

A similar moral theater appears to surround the recent death of Pastor Lester Isbell while in custody at the Monroe County Jail. Instead of being treated primarily as a tragedy that calls for transparency and accountability, it risks being re-framed as a cautionary tale — a warning about the “serious consequences” of being arrested. The message is clear: don’t end up like him... Lester Isbill needed medical attention: Officer Finger Flipped him the Bird.

But that framing shifts focus from why he died to what lesson his death can be made to teach. The story becomes not about a man, but about control... On 10/29/2025 the Family of Johsua Mcleary awarded $2.5 million in a wrongful death lawsuit. Lawsuits Impact on Budgets--Litigation payouts and insurance hikes come from the county’s general operating budget. Since counties have limited revenue sources (mostly property tax and state/federal grants), increased liabilities often force local officials to: raise property taxes, cut public services, road maintenance, and social programs.

This instrumentalization of tragedy — the re-purposing of pain into message — is where media ethics and governance intersect most perilously. The aim ceases to be truth or empathy, and becomes narrative management. Officials, under the guise of transparency, select which angles to show. Reporters, chasing engagement metrics, favor emotion and closure over nuance and uncertainty. And so, complex human realities are compressed into clean moral lessons. The child’s relief becomes proof of institutional competence; the pastor’s death, a cautionary advertisement for obedience.
But tragedy should not be a tool for persuasion. It should be a moment of moral pause — a disruption that demands reflection rather than spin. When institutions turn loss into theater, they erode not only public trust but also the moral depth of a society. We learn to watch suffering instead of feeling it. We are trained to consume empathy, not practice it.

The remedy isn’t outrage — it’s restraint. To tell fewer stories not because they are inconvenient, but because they are sacred. To resist the impulse to package grief into messaging. To remember that every tragedy, before it becomes news, is first a wound.

Because the moment we turn every human loss into a spectacle, we lose the capacity to mourn.

New Public Information Officer: She may be the only hope to fix Tommy's 'Trainwreck-style' Agenda

 

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office has a new P.I.O, referred to on social media as "PR Sue"-- she has been tasked with helping to steer the Jones Administration out of the smoldering wreckage of public opinion.

A search of the entire continental United States shows Monroe County TN Sheriff Tommy Jones' tactics after the death of Pastor Lester Isbill, are unlike any other.

In the recent Lester Isbill Homicide Investigation, there is no reported, documented case that exactly matches a query of, "A Sheriff publicly grills a Medical Examiner during a homicide investigation and then posts the recorded/quoted contents of that conversation on social media."

This WBIR link  details the Q and A, but bear in mind it is a transcription, which can be be slanted or partially re-worded--not an audio recording. 

What is documented or (closely related examples)

• Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez posted a graphic investigation photo (the body of 13-year old Madeline Soto) to Instagram; that led to state review, a civil citation and public criticism.
• In McCurtain County, OK, a local paper released audio of county officials (including the sheriff and others) saying inflammatory things; that recording was obtained/released by the paper, not posted by the sheriff himself. But again, it wasn't a sheriff posting a conversation with a Medical Examiner.
• There are examples of overlap (law enforcement sharing investigative material, and of clashes between sheriffs and medical examiners), but there is no other known case that contains "A recorded/quoted grilling of a medical examiner by a sheriff during an active homicide investigation."
  
  Misguided Leadership-"The Blind Leading the Blind" which illustrates the biblical saying from the Gospel of Matthew 15:14 "If the Blind lead the Blind, both will fall into the ditch."

Bankruptcy Twists, Courtroom Calamity, and the Ever-Changing Cast of LLC's

Auction that was planned for 323 McJunkin Road Has been 'Postponed'

Just when everyone thought the long-awaited auction at 323 McJunkin Road in Tellico Plains might finally close the book on this wild saga — the chairs were almost set, the gavel polished, the auctioneer ready — everything stopped cold.

Now, Billy — a man with what seems like barely a third-grade education — has managed, with the help of the more schooled Daniela, to upend the Monroe County court system for years. Together, they’ve filed, appealed, delayed, and maneuvered their way through the legal thicket like seasoned performers in a courthouse sideshow that began 4 years ago.

Even John Cleveland, a respected attorney known for representing well-heeled clients, was drawn into the spectacle. Taking the plaintiff’s case on consignment, Cleveland stepped far outside his usual clientele — a move that’s had locals wondering whether he regrets trading his high-dollar suits for muddy boots in this Tellico tangle.

A bankruptcy filing dropped like a thunderclap, and the court ruled the auction cancelled. The formerly Miami based Daniela, is Billy's newest gal/pal and loyal co-pilot in this bumpy legal ride. The 323 McJunkin property had been sold to her by Billy, after being purchased from Marion Hamby, and with the bankruptcy now in play, the entire case is likely frozen in legal ice for years to come.

At the heart of the lawsuit, though, was something far more personal than paperwork: Billy’s former girlfriend claimed she had put up 40% of the original purchase money to help him buy the McJunkin Road house. Billy, of course, told a different tale — that the money wasn’t a contribution at all, but a debt she owed him, and that the lawsuit was nothing more than the work of “a woman scorned.”

Still, the courts didn’t seem to buy that argument — and Billy’s next moves only made things murkier. Taking matters into his own hands, he marched into the Tennessee Court of Appeals, representing himself in what would become one of the most talked-about pro se appeals in Monroe County history.

It was fifteen minutes of courtroom calamity, full of sharp turns, contradictions, and unintentional comedy. At one point, Billy argued that the plaintiff’s lawsuit was invalid because it was filed after his LLC had been dissolved. Billy “Whiskey Barrel” had quietly dissolved Whiskey Barrel Trading LLC soon after the sale to Daniela--apparently unaware that an LLC can still be sued after dissolution.

And, he denies ever bragging about being rich — though earlier he’d boasted about yachts and his supposed fortune. Later, he tries to smooth over a misstep involving the Carson Law Firm, first saying they handled “eleven real estate transactions” for him, then quickly downgrading that claim to “situations.”

After 4 Years of Legal Wrangling, the Case Has Gone to Potts

Due to Bankruptcy Filing--Court Rules Auction Cancelled--Case May be Delayed for Years... 😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩  "Where's that Whiskey Barrel Mamaw?"

Potts Brothers Land and Auction will conduct the court-ordered auction of the property at 323 McJunkin rd. in Tellico Plains on Thursday, Oct. 16th, at 6:00 PM--it will be an on-site auction. 

Billy 'Whiskey Barrel Trading LLC' fought the local circuit court verdict for years in Monroe County TN, then tried to appeal the ruling before the Tennessee Court of Appeals without a lawyer--it is seen as one of the worst pro-se appeals by a non-lawyer litigant--a litany of shocking insults against the former girlfriend did not help his 15-minute oral argument. 

At 6:50 minutes into the oral argument video there are inconsistencies in his remarks; saying that comments about 'him being rich and had yachts' were false but he bragged about his wealth earlier. 

Many other blunders, at 13.58 saying that he had 'the police' working on the case for him!  ... and "I was never given time to understand the law."  

It was confusing from the start: the first words out of his mouth, and you think 'WTF' did he say...? 

He currently uses (or did use) the screen name Rusty Trucks on Facebook...

Newsflash Billy--Makes no difference what shell company name or LLC you hide under--An LLC can still be sued after it's dissolution.

In 2024 the case was dismissed by the Tennessee Appeals Court--this link has the opinion of the court,  https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-appeals/opinions/2024/09/27/robyn-h-hurvitz-v-whiskey-barrel-trading-company-llc-et-al

Sheriff Jones refers to local drug dealers as "Our Guys" ...watch the chubby cop in back

Sheriff Tommy Jones refers to local drug dealers as "our guys" -- it shows the symbiotic relationship that often exists between criminals and law enforcement. A while back, Tommy's father Constable Tommy Jones Sr. was arrested by the TBI for sale of narcotics, see video below: he told the news reporter that he 'shouldn't comment' (although he did) and wasn't really worried, that the 'lawyer' would take care of it. Referring to local drug dealers as "our guys" suggests a few things about that symbiotic relationship. 

Undercover 'drug buyers' or 'protected drug dealers/users' ...It may have been another 'slip of the tongue' and likely gone unnoticed by most--but it's a very incisive observation about the complex and often murky relationship that can exist between certain elements of law enforcement and the criminal underworld.

1. Maintaining Equilibrium (The "Devil You Know"): In some cases, authorities might prefer a known, somewhat predictable drug dealer (or low-level operator) over the chaos that could ensue if a power vacuum opened up, leading to turf wars or the entry of a more violent organization. They become "their guys" because they are part of a manageable, albeit illegal, status quo.

2. Corruption or Collusion: On the darkest end of the spectrum, the phrase could point to outright corruption, where officers are actively protecting or benefiting from the criminal enterprise.

3. Informant Network/Control: The phrase implies that these specific criminals are known and perhaps tolerated or even utilized as informants. Law enforcement might see them as "their guys" because they provide information on larger, more dangerous operations or rival criminal groups.

This kind of statement highlights the ethical gray areas and the practical realities that can challenge the idealized view of law enforcement simply eradicating crime. The "symbiotic" element is that the criminals (the dealers) provide a service (information, stability), and law enforcement provides a service (protection, tolerance) in return.

Monroe County Sheriff flips the middle finger AGAIN at the Isbill family

 

Teflon Tom 

In the United States, there have been documented instances where law enforcement agencies or individual officers have been accused of influencing or interfering with homicide investigations. These cases often involve police misconduct, corruption, or a deliberate effort to protect officers from prosecution.

Posting hearsay comments on Facebook about a conversation that Tommy Jones had with Dr Suzuki, the forensic pathologist assigned to the Pastor Lester Isbill homicide one would think: No, you've got to be kidding right? 

In a stunt that is unprecedented nationwide--that is exactly what Tomcat did--and not one online publication, at least two of the Monroe County daily news outlets as well as several Knoxville TV news stations. MORE Bizarre details  If you ask whether the case would even make it to trial now, how could you get an unbiased jury, can justice ever be done?...In circumstances where extensive publicity makes it nearly impossible to find an unbiased jury in the local community, the court may consider a change of venue (moving the trial to a different county or state) or importing a jury from another jurisdiction.

What options are available to the relatives of the victim and more--

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): The FBI is the lead federal agency for investigating "color of law" violations, which are acts carried out by government officials operating outside their legal authority.

• State Attorney General's Office or District Attorney's Office: These offices can investigate and prosecute criminal misconduct by police officers.

Sheriff Jones Grills Medical Examiner then 'facebooks it' --does it influence the jury pool?

Sheriff Tommy Jones was in a 'meltdown mode' since the grand jury indictments were announced naming several MCSD staff members on 9/3/2025 over the homicide of Pastor Lester Isbill. 

It is not in a local sheriff's official capacity to call and lodge a litany of questions to a medical examiner-as shown on several news sites.

The legal proceeding has now become "tainted" and the entire process has been compromised.

In the United States, there have been documented instances where law enforcement agencies or individual officers have been accused of influencing or interfering with homicide investigations. These cases often involve police misconduct, corruption, or a deliberate effort to protect officers from prosecution.

"The administration of justice is sacred" the legal and judicial systems are not just a set of rules, but something to be revered and protected. Posting intimate details in several news outlets of a private conversation he had with the Medical Examiner...? It may be the biggest blunder of his career--In Tennessee, a public official who overtly tries to influence a jury pool could face a combination of criminal charges and other legal penalties. 

This WBIR link  details the Q and A, but bear in mind it is a transcription, which can be be slanted and falsified--not an audio recording. You can bet that if it really did happen Jones and his handlers made an audio recording of the alleged conversation. ...It starts with "During a recent phone call I had with Dr. Suzuki, the pathologist who performed Mr. Isbill’s autopsy, from the Regional Forensic Center in Knox County.

Official Misconduct: This is a serious charge specifically for public servants. Under Tennessee Code Ann. § 39-16-402, a public servant commits this offense if, with intent to gain a benefit or harm another, they intentionally or knowingly:

• Commit an act related to their office that is an unauthorized exercise of official power.

• Commit an act under color of office that exceeds their official power.

• Penalty: This is a Class E felony. A conviction can also lead to the official being removed from office and disqualified from holding any office in the state in the future.

A Coroner's determination is not a criminal verdict--police officers can and do ask questions and present evidence to a coroner, they cannot legally compel a coroner to change their finding. The coroner's decision is based on their own medical and investigative findings, which may include an autopsy.

Not a Mensa member

A sheriff should not "grill" a forensic investigator because the sheriff's role is administrative, not investigative. A forensic investigator's job is to provide objective scientific analysis, and their findings are used by prosecutors to build a case. 

If anyone is going to question the forensic investigator, it would be a prosecutor or a defense attorney in a court of law—not a sheriff. This is to ensure the integrity of the evidence and the legal process.This happens under oath in court. The defense attorney then has a chance to cross-examine the investigator.

The core of the issue is the potential for prejudicial publicity. When a high-ranking public official like a sheriff makes public statements about an ongoing investigation, it can:

• Taint the jury pool: Potential jurors may form an opinion on the case based on the sheriff's public statements, making it difficult to seat an unbiased jury.

• Influence witnesses: Witnesses, including the coroner, might feel pressured to align their testimony with the narrative presented by the sheriff.

• Create a perception of guilt or innocence: Public officials can unintentionally or intentionally create a public perception before a defendant is even formally charged or convicted.

• Law enforcement agencies, including a sheriff's office, typically have policies governing public statements about ongoing investigations. These policies are designed to balance the public's right to information with the defendant's right to a fair trial. A sheriff's public statements should be limited to factual, non-prejudicial information.

 

Pastor Isbill Needed Medical Attention: Officer Finger 'Flipped him the Bird'

Update: 9/4/2025 Grand Jury Indictments unsealed--Several MCSD employees named--charges include criminal negligent homicide and false reporting. More on WBIR. 

Never before seen--Tommy is seemingly waging a debate on Facebook with the Forensic Pathologist and the District Attorney...Friends advise him to cease-and-desist, it may lead to another charge.

Former head of detectives Travis Jones on MSNBC video cited lack of training for MCSD bungling the McClancy death investigation.

Back-to-back scandals for MCSD Sheriff Tommy Jones. Will he resign or keep his hat in the ring for a fourth term in 2026?

The death of Pastor Lester Isbill and the Alijah Kensinger Missing Child Alert both cases have elements of a 'cover up'...but all are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.

 

Pastor Lester Isbill Death Now a Homicide

District Attorney Stephen Hatchett, who represents the state’s Tenth Judicial District, said he plans to take action soon, saying: “I believe this updated autopsy is a more accurate finding based upon all of the known facts, and I intend to present the entire file to the Grand Jury for their consideration.”

MCSD Deputy Jason Fillyaw 'Tommy's Waterboy' played key role in the Missing Child Alert Scandal

Archived news-clip page shows MCSD Jason Fillyaw was the chief propagandist  in the Alijah Kensinger Missing Child Alert.

A propagandist is an individual who holds a prominent role in directing, orchestrating, and crafting messages designed to influence public opinion and behavior.

* Alijah was found around 7:30 PM the evening of the search, according to a witness that lives near where he was staying with his grandmother. If so, the search lasted about 3 hours not 19 hours--who benefited by faking the search late into the next morning...? and were state and federal laws violated...look up the penalties/offenses for transmitting false information during an emergency.

 A gathered crowd of close to 200 people stayed put at the Coker Creek School over-night: which included news media and local residents--it was an all-night vigil eagerly waiting for news on the missing child alert--overnight temps were in the F-30's.

Alijah's mother who flew in on red-eye flight from Colorado the following morning spoke to reporter Kyle Grainger and other reporters...the mother was in shock thinking her boy may have been killed by a bear or other predators--but who knew and who is responsible for the torment caused on Alijah's relatives not knowing the child had been found the previous night--where was Alijah kept overnight, how many people knew...?

Eric, the owner of Fine Communications, revealed on June 7th that Alijah was found on the night the search began, not 19 hours later--since then, several high-profile witnesses have affirmed that the news story was manipulated for political reasons.

EMS Director Randy White was running for sheriff against the incumbent Tommy Jones--All standard protocol was violated so Randy White would not be in the spotlight of the event.

Several federal and state laws were violated in what became known as a 2 day 'theater of the absurd' -- this and the recent death of Pastor Lester Isbill will likely have a significant impact on the 2026 sheriff's election.

 

The Most Damning Evidence Against Sheriff Tommy Jones: A Pattern of Delaying Medical Services

Pastor Lester Isbill was kept shackled in a restraint chair with a hood over his head for 9 hours. Video shows a nurse laughing while a jailer makes an obscene gesture towards the camera. 

Missing Child Alert victim Alijah Kensinger was found on the same night the search began, but was not brought to the waiting ambulance until late on the following morning. All communications (includes texts, phone, emails) transmitted and used as a false pretense, after Alijah was found, violated 'Search and Rescue Guidelines' under FCC regulations...The penalties for these offenses can be severe and include a Class D Felony.

Alijah's mother seen on the morning after the search, still not knowing her son was found the night before--she was not told for several hours that Alijah was found.

Demonstrating a 'pattern of misconduct' rather than a single isolated incident is crucial for investigators for several key reasons:

A pattern of misconduct suggests a deeper, potentially systemic problem with an organization, rather than an isolated bad actor.

Two or more similar incidents strengthens the credibility of the allegations and provides stronger evidence to support the claims of wrongdoing. When misconduct is documented over time, it becomes harder to dismiss or regard as isolated events or misunderstandings.

Repeated misconduct allows investigators to delve deeper into the root causes of the problem. This can involve examining policies, procedures, training and accountability systems to identify systemic failures contributing to the pattern.

A pattern of misconduct can help establish intent or prove that an organization or individual was aware of the problem but failed to address it. This can be crucial in proving negligence or even criminal intent in certain situations.

74 yr old Pastor Lester Isbill DEAD--kept in 'torture like' condition for 9 hours by Sheriff Tommy Jones' handlers

Attorney for the Isbill Family describes how a senior citizen who should have been given medical attention instead was kept in a restraint chair with a hood over his head for 9 hours Watch on WBIR

Alijah Kensinger was found on night the search began: the morning-after publicity stunt was a sham

Sheriff Tommy Jones' handling of Missing Child Alert--A Profound Betrayal of Public Trust ...The head of communications and owner of Fine Communications, Eric, in charge of Net Control at the Cherohala Challenge last Saturday revealed what many already suspected--Alijah was found the night the search began--the missing child alert issued by Sheriff Tommy Jones on Alijah Kensinger that continued into the next morning was partially staged. The publicity stunt on a busy state route endangered everyone involved. 

Excluding Monroe EMS from Post Incident Debriefing Was a Violation of H.R. 5852

Update 7/17/2025 -- More Rescue Squad members interviewed admit that the search victim was found on the evening the search started, not 17 hours later...It is clear the gathered crowd (3 Knoxville News Station crews and local residents) at the Coker Creek School were bluffed into staying put overnight so Tommy Jones could have a day-time photo shoot appearing as the savior of 6-year-old Alijah Kensinger...a missing child who became a victim of a sinister political stunt--study the details, have you ever heard of a case like this?...using a helpless child as a pawn for a political charade unlike any other in the history of Monroe County TN.

Update 7/8/2025--A high-ranking law enforcement official commented to MCNWW that he knows the location, time, and the very close proximity to Grandma Kensinger's house, where Alijah was sitting down next to a tree when found.

'Flight Aware' records show two helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft buzzin' around for a couple of hours into the night; what if this was allowed to happen after Alijah was found?

If so, it points to government funds being used to benefit the sheriff's election and/or possible fraud, child abuse, and other state and federal violations...? We all want to know the Truth!

Update 6/27/2025--local news Monroe Buzz reporter remembers the morning after the search showed 30 degree overnight temperature. "Using a child to further an adult purpose...unforgiveable"...

MCNWW--the whole scheme was part of an elaborate ruse choreographed like a Hollywood script...Look at Alijah's condition as he was carried by Tommy Jones: does he look like he's been out in frigid temperatures for 17 hours? And, if he had been, what responsible rescue squad member(s) would have released custody of a medical transport patient for a political stunt?...EMS Director Randy White was running for Sheriff against incumbent Tommy Jones--Alijah was the Prize, and Tommy wanted all the attention for himself...

 See Pic with news-reporter Kyle Grainger from WVLT on the morning after the search: Why was Alijah's mother or the waiting news media not told that Alijah was found the night of the search?  Seen as she had just arrived from the Knoxville airport: she seems to be in shock!...

 

There hasn't been a case in Monroe County that has as many twists and turns since the Dateline MSNBC 'Secrets in the Smokies'

The Alijah missing child alert case is a made-for-TV docudrama--how many people were involved in the elaborate conspiracy to manipulate and deceive the public and the victim's relatives?

           ****************

In 2022 An eyewitness summed it up like this -- "It started on the afternoon of 1/13/22, when 6-year-old Alijah wandered off on a familiar hiking trail behind the house, living with the paternal grandmother.  As we now know (he was sitting under a tree less than a mile from the house)... if he was ever lost or unable to find his way back, he had been told to 'stay where you are, and we will find you.'  Instead of rapidly forming a grid search or yelling out for the kid, the event was blown way out of proportion with 3 noisy helicopters, 7 federal and state agencies, and news media from Knoxville camped out at the Coker Creek School parking area for 2 days, (there were even food vendors) --  it was designed to be a next day 'golden opportunity' public relations (PR) event for the 2022 sheriff's election." 

 

It turned into something so twisted and sinister that Monroe EMS was prevented from joining the post-incident debriefing...? Post-incident debriefing looks for answers to how well prepared were we,  how well did we perform, and how we can perform better in the future...? 

What was so damaging that Tommy Jones didn't want anyone to know? 

Publicity Stunt At Any Cost

Sheriff Tommy Jones' effort to stage a 'political sideshow' in the Alijah Kensinger incident raises questions of 'Official Misconduct'--TN 39-16402. (1)  One who commits an act relating to the servant's office or employment that constitutes an unauthorized exercise of official power.  The offense of 'official misconduct' is a class E felony.  As far as federal violation of 'civil rights',  Section 242 of Title 18 makes it a crime for a person acting under color of law to willfully deprive a person of a right or privilege protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States.

Would Tommy Jones risk the safety of a 6-year-old boy to get an advantage in the May 3rd, 2022 Sheriff's election--and,  if part of this two-day operation was 'staged' could there be other details that should be uncovered?  

Late Friday morning 1/14/22, Tommy's hand-picked goons brought Alijah from the walking trail site behind the grandmother's house to the command center and parked as far as possible from the waiting ambulance so they could parade south from the farthest spot in the parking lot, right up to the waiting news media... this publicity stunt on a busy state route endangered everyone involved-the gathered crowd looks on as Tommy's water boy Jason Fyllyaw tries to offer some protection and ready-made excuses: it's ironic that nearly two weeks later, a sheriff's deputy was killed on a busy highway while outside of his patrol car.

When EMS Director Randy White became aware Alijah was found he gave specific instructions that the ambulance crew would come and take over: his order was ignored even though improperly handling a patient who may have suffered trauma increases the risk for cardiac arrest… without regard to standard medical protocol, the six-year old was loaded in the back of a truck and brought near the command center so he could be carried by Sheriff Jones on a busy highway ‘like a trophy' ...

“Has Tommy Jones lost his friggin’ mind?”...mishandling a medical transport patient, (a possible trauma victim) can lead to horrendously expensive legal costs... Courts have ruled that 'emotional distress' is mental suffering caused by a particular event or negligence. As such, it is possible to file a civil lawsuit on the grounds of emotional distress to receive compensation for the damage caused. 

New details emerge from a recent video interview with Alijah's mother, in what is now regarded as a 2-day 'Theater of the Absurd'...

Trenton Debity was the actual person that supposedly found Alijah, although he never appeared before the waiting TV camera crews (unusual to not make a comment in a situation like this)--instead, search-volunteer Stone Gray who was 'nearby', made some comments...but left many unanswered questions.

Alijah's mother picked up the child and left town; if not for the loud helicopter noise, you likely could have yelled out for Alijah from the grandmother's porch--the mother has ties to Washington state, Knoxville TN, and her parents in Virginia...when found, Alijah's first words were "where's my daddy?" The burden of the horrible ordeal must have been devastating for all, especially for the paternal grandmother who lives near the Coker Creek Welcome Center--she had custody of the child or he had been left there by the parents.

Attorney Russ Egli files Notice of Appearance in the Whiskey Barrel Case

Knoxville Attorney Russ Egli has filed an appearance in the Whiskey Barrel Trading LLC vs Robyn Hurvitz case in Monroe County TN.

A July 2024 press release on Marquis Who's Who describes Mr. Egli:

"A distinguished attorney with a career spanning over 18 years. In 2007 as a new member of the bar, Mr. Egli went before the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee, highlighting the fact that the Tennessee Judiciary was experiencing significant problems with a litigant's due process right to pursue the removal of a judge which has an actual conflict or an appearance of impropriety. 

This Senate Judiciary hearing in which other members of the Tennessee Bar, as well as Tennesse residents who were in litigation with a judge refusing to recuse from the case despite an actual conflict or appearance of impropriety testified was instrumental in changing the laws surrounding the recusal of a judge in Tennessee as well as the disbandment of the Tennessee Court of the Judiciary which was not disciplining Tennessee judges who had clearly violated their judicial canons."

Once had Over $3 Million Worth of Yachts?... Karma is a Bitch

In 2018, 'hype and fluffery' was an integral part of Billy's playbook.

While acting as his own attorney before the Tennessee Court of Appeals in 2024, he sang a different tune. 

'Billy' or ‘William Jennings Smith’ was sued by gal/pal Robyn Hurvitz over a real estate dispute–the case made it to the Tennessee Court of Appeals as ‘Whiskey Barrel Trading Company vs Robyn Hurvitz.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-vExEKQgoE 

Appeal Denied: https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-appeals/opinions/2024/09/27/robyn-h-hurvitz-v-whiskey-barrel-trading-company-llc-et-al

Whiskey Barrel Case Delayed for Years if Tried in the U.S. Supreme Court?

Pro se attorney oral argument in the Whiskey Barrel Trading Company vs Robyn Hurvitz case appeal made by Coker Creek resident Billy Smith... The Appeal was denied in TN State Court...He was often incoherent and rambling with comments and text that he had difficulty with--but, like he said, "he ain't no lawyer." What options does he have?

Billy started a Gofundme several months ago--says he is donating $2500 to benefit victims of corruption in Monroe County but the donations balance as of 4/5/2025 only shows $315... And has dropped to '0' funds as of 5/27/2025 https://gofund.me/c1976eda

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Filing an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court can delay a state action.

• The Supreme Court has the power to review decisions made by the state courts.
• When an appeal is filed, it can lead to the court deciding to hear the case (granting certiorari).
• While the Court considers the case, it can issue stays or injunctions that halt the state action in question.
• Stays: The Court can issue a "stay," which is a temporary suspension of legal proceedings or actions. This can prevent a state from enforcing a law or carrying out a decision while the appeal is pending.
• The Appeal Process Itself: The legal process of an appeal to the Supreme Court itself takes time. So even without a stay being issued, the process itself delays the state action.
• If the Supreme Court ultimately rules against the state, it can invalidate the state's law or action, effectively preventing it from being implemented.
• But here's the bad news Billy--The Supreme Court accepts a very small percentage of the cases that are presented to it, and this includes pro se appeals.
• The Supreme Court has discretionary jurisdiction, meaning it gets to choose which cases it will hear.
• It primarily focuses on cases that have significant legal principles or have a nationwide impact.
• The deadline for filing a petition for writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court is generally 90 days after the entry of judgment or decree by the lower court. Some cases have an even shorter deadline of 30 days.

By dragging his former girlfriend/business partner 'through the mud' with a litany of insults and off-topic remarks, Billy showed his true colors. It was more likely that the Arabs and the Jews would have agreed to a permanent peace accord before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to hear an appeal by 'Billy' William Jennings Smith.

Recent Clues Shed Light on 2023 Facebook Hoaxster Daniela Valderrama

It was an alarming and bizarre encounter on May 22, 2023. It is now crystal clear the motive behind the malicious tactics used was a 'swatting attack' by a 'serial hoaxster.'...the victim remembers, "It felt like being chased by a raving lunatic." 

On Monday, May 22, 2023 -- an alert was posted on the local Facebook users group by Daniela Valderrama saying..."Does Anyone know who this creepy guy is?"

The so-called "creepy guy" was an innocent victim and was falsely accused and harassed for no reason--he was interviewed by MCNW and wants to share how he ran into the accuser...

Daniela Valderrama

Update 2/26/2025...Why was Billy's new girlfriend so 'alarmed and hysterical' back in 2023...was it because they wanted to hide what they had on Cooper Hollow Road...?

Could it be that there is a 34-acre parcel of land near Tilley Lane registered to the infamous  'Whiskey Barrel Trading Company...?'  It's an LLC that was dissolved years ago...There is much more to come...

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Manny Silva says...I was driving towards Cooper Hollow Road and saw what looked like a stranded or perhaps a lost motorist on the side of the road: I stopped and said hello...As soon as I realized she must be a friend or girlfriend of dirty trickster 'Billy' William Jennings Smith; I drove on, and could hear as she "screamed and hollered"... she wanted to know "How did you know that, and who are you?"...

Cooper Hollow Road in Monroe County TN is one of the most hidden places to live and use as a base of operations.

As I looked in my rear-view mirror, she had turned around and was following me--GPS cache meta-data would show that she followed me after our brief conversation...

I felt she was so enraged that I better stop and try to calm her down--she started video recording her shouting and screaming, so I took a picture of her...I later made a police report at the Tellico PD with a Monroe County officer...I was in fear for my life and felt I was being chased by a "raving lunatic."

Watch Tommy G video below--it shows how Ryan Montgomery was pranked by a Fakesbook hoax and the aftermath.