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Investigation calls grow following Coffee County DA's comments about gay marriage, Muslim faith

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Osborne)  -- Some 180 Tennessee attorneys have signed an open letter calling on state officials to investigate controversial statements reportedly made by the Coffee County District Attorney.

Caught on video tape, the statements by DA Craig Northcutt have made national headlines. Multiple media outlets quote Northcutt saying he would refuse to prosecute cases of domestic violence between same sex partners.

Northcott has also been quoted saying Muslims do not enjoy the same rights as Christians under the U.S. Constitution.

In the open letter, the undersigned attorneys ask the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility to open an investigation into Coffee County DA’s statements. The letter concludes that the oversight panel should “stand up for our highest ideals as members of the Tennessee Bar.”

This past week, the Council on American-Islamic Relations also asked the Board to investigate Northcott.

The Board of Professional Responsibility is a division of the Tennessee Supreme Court and has responsibility for “protecting the public from harm” by disciplining unethical attorneys.

In a Facebook post made in mid-May, Northcott insisted he would not withdraw or apologize for his comments. He wrote in part, “If they expect me to denounce my faith because of their tactics, they are going to be disappointed.”

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