Report stokes back-and-forth between DA, attorney general

A back-and-forth between the Tennessee Attorney General’s office and the Davidson County District Attorney’s office has been stoked by an investigative piece by NewsChannel 5’s Phil Williams alleging unlawful practices by Nashville’s top prosecutor.

In a NewsChannel 5 story released last week, Williams details how the DA's office has been outfitted with audio-enabled security cameras, suggesting the office could be violating federal and state wiretapping laws. Following the report, NewsChannel 5 discovered through a public records request that state Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has notified the DA of his intention to open a criminal investigation into the allegations of wiretapping. But in a letter to Skrmetti and Deputy Attorney General Scott Sutherland, Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk explains that the cameras are necessary for the security of the office.