James HutchinsThe 61-year-old street preacher who tried to incite a riot at a July 16 shooting memorial received 90 days of probation Tuesday in Hamilton County Criminal Court.
James Hutchins faced up to a year in jail for inciting to riot and disorderly conduct charges. Still, he showed up to court, again, without a lawyer, navigating his sentencing hearing alone.
Judge Tom Greenholtz ultimately agreed to suspend his 11-month, 29-day sentence, place him on probation, and move his community service to Monroe County, Tenn., where Hutchins and his wife live.
Afterward, Hutchins said he appreciated Greenholtz for considering his military record, but stood by his fierce conviction of freedom of speech.
"I realize that what I say is controversial," Hutchins said. "Right now, it's freedom of speech. Freedom of press is next."
Authorities said Hutchins stomped around a Lee Highway memorial dedicated to the July 16 shooting victims on July 19, 2015, uttering sexually and racially biased slurs and assaulting a police officer by grabbing his arm. He was arrested and charged with assault, inciting to riot and disorderly conduct.
In September, when his case went to trial, prosecutor Bates Bryan called four police officers who said Hutchins was being disrespectful in a high-volume area of mourning and looking for a fight. Jurors agreed after a two-day trial, fined Hutchins $1,050 but acquitted him of assault.
After Tuesday's sentencing, Hutchins said he was arrested seven other times for preaching outdoors, all in Monroe County. Each time, he said, the state dropped the charges instead of taking him to trial.
His wife, Debbie Hutchins, who also took the stand in her husband's defense, reiterated the couple's main point before leaving the courthouse: "All he was doing was preaching. I don't know how you do that to people."
Contact staff writer Zack Peterson at zpeterson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347. Follow him on Twitter @zackpeterson918.