By The American Tribune | Created at 2025-03-31 10:16:07 | Updated at 2025-04-03 22:01:57
3 days ago
Tensions exploded into near-physical violence during a Tennessee House of Representatives committee hearing about House Bill 1392, a gun-related bill that heightens the chance of prosecution for unlawfully carrying a handgun or other weapon, when Democratic State Rep. Justin J. Pearson went on an emotional tirade and lunged at a Republican colleague of his, Tennessee State Rep. Farmer.
As background, the hearing occurred on March 26 in the Criminal Justice Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, and the lawmakers in the subcommittee refused to vote for the bill, leading to a furious outburst from State Rep. Pearson, whose brother died of a suicide in which he used a firearm in December of 2024.
For further reference, the state’s description of the bill provides that it “deletes the exception to the criminal offense of unlawfully carrying a firearm with intent to go armed for persons who lawfully possess a handgun, are in a place where the person is lawfully present, and are at least 21 years old or 18 years old with certain military service.”
In any case, during his fiery speech about the bill in which he harangued Republicans for supposedly not caring about gun-related deaths and violence, State Rep. Pearson exclaimed, “We need to do something about the gun violence epidemic, we have the power to do something about the gun violence epidemic, and we don’t just have to offer some empty thoughts and prayers.”
Responding, State Rep. Farmer said that Pearson was way off base in his criticism. Rebuking the woke lawmaker for his tirade, Farmer said, “I don’t think it’s fair for you to come before this committee and lecture us on hard work and convictions and hard work for our committee, so I understand where you’re at and what you are doing and why, but at the end of the day, we’ve been here working.”
Pearson then continued with his tirade by yelling about his brother, saying, “It is a pathetic excuse for you to not answer the question of why we are doing nothing about the gun violence epidemic, then to personally attack me, but let me explain to you what I have been doing, representative, since you asked. My brother, Timphrance Darnell Pearson, one of the loves of my life, passed away from gun suicide on December 1st of 2024.”
Then, letting loose yet further and, in the process, ignoring all bounds of decorum, Rep. Pearson shouted even louder, declaring, “If you can’t handle that, learn to shut up!” Still not done with the screeching, he declared, “Hard work isn’t just sitting here and passing legislation—it’s being in the community!”
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Republicans in the chamber demanded decorum from Pearson, with Farmer at one point noting that Pearson’s screaming showed a larger pattern. He said, “It seems that it’s very common in your party—when you disagree with a comment—to resort to yelling.” At that point, Pearson rushed over and lunged at Farmer, seemingly trying to physically attack him.
Watch the incident and its total lack of decorum here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
