Image Credit: Paul Young / Facebook, tncourts.gov, Senator Brent Taylor / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
On Thursday, Sen. Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31) took to social media to applaud new General Sessions Criminal Court Judge, Taylor Bachelor, for her handling of a case involving the recent stalking and attempted kidnapping of Memphis Mayor Paul Young.
25-year-old Trenton Abston was arrested on Wednesday, June 18th, by the Memphis Police Department (MPD) and charged with attempted kidnapping, stalking, and aggravated criminal trespass against Mayor Young.
Abston allegedly scaled a wall and went directly to the mayor’s residence before being arrested by officers who recovered gloves, rope, a taser and duct tape from Abston’s vehicle.
Bond was originally set at $50,000.
Abston’s first court hearing was scheduled to take place on Monday, June 23rd, and Judge Bachelor decided to up the bond amount to $2,000,000 last week.
Abston remains in custody as of this article’s publication according to Shelby County jail records.
Judge Bachelor assumed her role in March of this year after “rogue” Judge Bill Anderson resigned under major scrutiny over his bail setting decisions.
Bachelor now functions within the scope of a new bail law drafted and carried by Sen. Taylor in the state legislature this year.
“The law I authored requiring safety of the community [will] be the FIRST consideration when setting bail is being applied correctly now that Rogue Judge Anderson is off the bench!” Sen. Taylor wrote. “His replacement, General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Taylor Bachelor, set a $2 million bond for Trenton Abston, charged with attempted kidnapping and stalking of Memphis Mayor Paul Young. This high bond, a sharp increase from an initial $50,000, reflects the state’s shift away from flawed “restorative justice schemes” with ridiculous bail calculators that prioritized a defendant’s ability to pay over community safety.”
The Memphis lawmaker expressed that he was proud to have worked towards dismantling the Standing Bail Order that “allowed dangerous offenders to walk free.”
“This legislation ensures judges have the tools to protect Tennesseans, sending a clear message: threats to public safety will not be tolerated,” said Sen. Taylor. “We have a city to save!”
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
