End of the free press in Tennessee? Shirley investigated reporter following THP story

As more details emerge about Bredesen's Watergate, Theo Emery today reports that Lt. Ronnie Shirley did conduct a background check on fellow reporter Brad Schrade after a published report he wrote for The Tennessean exposed punishments given to THP troopers for leaking information:

Lt. Ronnie Shirley, the target of an internal probe into why he ran unauthorized checks of up to 182 people, used a law enforcement database portal to look at Schrade's driver's license information on Jan. 15, 2007.

Special Agent Troy Human of the THP's Criminal Investigation Division disclosed the date Monday while he and another THP agent interviewed Schrade as part of the internal investigation.

Human said the check would have revealed Schrade's driver's license information, photo and Social Security number, according to Schrade. It would not have included his driving history, according to the THP's parent agency, the state Department of Safety.

Just days before Shirley ran the check, Schrade had reported on an appeals hearing in which four disciplined THP officers denied wrongdoing associated with leaked allegations of exam tampering for trooper recruits.

Emery also updates us on the status of the THP self-investigation:

As of mid-afternoon Monday, 50 people had been interviewed, (Col. Mike) Walker said.

Shirley made the checks between October 19, 2006, and July 3, 2008, when his access to the portal was shut off; the investigation began on July 2.