114-Page Ethics Complaint Filed
By Former TBI Agent Against
Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris
Chase Matheson - february 5, 2025
PUTNAM COUNTY - Former TBI Special Agent and Criminal Investigator Terry Hembree has filed a 114-Page (including attachments) ethics complaint against Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris.
Hembree, who retired from the Putnam County Sheriff's Department in 2019 as head of Criminal Investigations, submitted the complaint in November of 2024 to County Attorney Jeff Jones.
Allegations outlined in the report range in severity from somewhat minor records-law violations, to more severe allegations such as perjury and even an allegation of not notifying a nearby school of an escaped sex offender. Several of the complaints "could be criminal" in nature. At least that's what Putnam County Attorney Jeff Jones said, before forwarding the complaint to District Attorney Bryant Dunaway.
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Outline of Complaint:
Terry Hembree says he has "little faith" that the District Attorney's Office will do anything. When asked why, Terry informed us that Dunaway has already tried to pretend the complaint didn't exist.
A records request was submitted to General Dunaway. That request should have returned Mr. Hembree's complaint. It didn't. General Dunaway's response was, "This office has been unable to identify any records that fit the description contained in your December 24, 2024 letter."
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inmate that Escaped near school without sheriff placing school on lockdown
Strange, because a request was also sent to the County Attorney. That request produced the record with no issue.
"In my opinion, Dunaway deliberately ignored the matter." Says Terry Hembree.
Terry Hembree has extensive experience in law enforcement. His training consists of U.S. Army Military Police Academy, Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, FBI National Academy, TBI Special Agent Academy, Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy Little Rock Arkansas. When working for the TBI Hembree operated as a polygraph examiner.
UPDATED 2/6/2025 : This story was updated to correct the date the complaint was filed from November of 2025 to the correct date of November 2024.
Other Documents:
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