Mark Norris Pushes for Armed Felons Sentences

Memphis Daily News
March 2, 2007

Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, hosted a gathering of law enforcement officials from across the state Wednesday in Nashville to call for tougher punishments for armed felons committing new crimes.

Norris is sponsoring a bill known as the "Crooks with Guns" bill. It would require a mandatory 10-year sentence without parole for convicted felons who use firearms to commit new crimes.

Law enforcement officials from Bartlett, Dyersburg and Covington, as well as Nashville and Knoxville, joined Norris, Sen. Paul Stanley, R-Germantown, Rep. John DeBerry, D-Memphis, and others who support the crime-fighting initiatives.

The conference resulted from collaboration with The Tennessee Public Safety Coalition, comprised of Tennessee police chiefs, sheriffs and district attorneys.

Norris represents Shelby, Tipton, Lauderdale and Dyer counties.