2026-05-18 02:49:53 -0400
To: Governor Bill Lee, Tennessee Attorney General, Local and National Media, Tennessee General Assembly Oversight Committees.
Demand For Bond Reduction and More In Chud the Builder Case
The following letters will be sent as a petition to cited parties:
WE THE PEOPLE
WE THE PEOPLE
District Attorney General Robert J. Nash
19th Judicial District
200 Commerce Street, Suite A
Clarksville, TN 37040
19th Judicial District
200 Commerce Street, Suite A
Clarksville, TN 37040
Judge Reid Poland III (or Presiding Judge, Montgomery County Circuit Court)
Montgomery County Courthouse
2 Millennium Plaza
Clarksville, TN 37040
Montgomery County Courthouse
2 Millennium Plaza
Clarksville, TN 37040
Copies to:
- Tennessee Governor Bill Lee
- Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti
- Montgomery County Sheriff
- Tennessee Bar Association (for ethics review)
- Relevant members of the Tennessee General Assembly
- Public records / local media
Re: Unconstitutional and Politically Motivated Excessive Bail and Overcharging in the Dalton Eatherly (“Chud the Builder”) Case – Demand for Dismissal of Excessive Charges, Reduction of Bond, and Resignations
Dear District Attorney General Nash, Judge [Poland], and Relevant Officials:
We are writing to express grave concern over the handling of the case against Dalton Eatherly, known online as “Chud the Builder,” following the May 13, 2026 incident outside the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville. The imposition of a $1,250,000 bond on attempted murder and related charges, combined with what appears to be disproportionate charging, violates the Tennessee Constitution’s explicit prohibition on excessive bail and strongly suggests politically motivated prosecution targeting Eatherly’s controversial viewpoints and online activity.
The Tennessee Constitution, Article I, Section 16, states clearly: “Excessive bail shall not be required.” This is not aspirational language—it is a binding command. Yet in Eatherly’s case, the bond set far exceeds any reasonable measure of ensuring appearance or public safety, especially when viewed against the actual practices of your office in far more serious cases.
The data from your own tenure as DA is damning (Montgomery County Public Court Records, 2022–2025):
- Across 16 murder/attempted murder cases under your administration, every single defendant received bail. None exceeded $250,000.
- The average bail for all murder cases: $72,188.
- The average bail for attempted murder cases: $40,625.
- The highest murder bail under your entire tenure: $250,000.
Eatherly’s $1,250,000 bond is:
- 5 times higher than the highest murder bail you have ever sought.
- 30.8 times higher than the average attempted murder bail under your office.
- Imposed in a case where nobody died, in contrast to multiple homicide cases you treated far more leniently.
This disparity is not explained by facts or consistent policy—it screams selective enforcement. Your office never sought “no bond” in any of those 16 serious cases, yet reportedly pushed for complete detention in Eatherly’s case despite the constitutional mandate and the judge ultimately setting (still-excessive) bail.
This is textbook unconstitutional excessive bail, prohibited by both the Tennessee and U.S. Constitutions. Bail exists to secure appearance, not to serve as pretrial punishment or a tool to silence unpopular speech. Eatherly’s provocative livestreaming and “rage-baiting” persona may offend many, but the First Amendment does not have a popularity exception, and neither does Article I, Section 16 of the Tennessee Constitution.
The charges themselves—attempted murder, aggravated assault, etc.—appear aggressively overcharged in what was not a mutual altercation. According to available accounts, Eatherly was attacked while walking away. Claims of self-defense under Tennessee law must be fairly evaluated, not weaponized against a defendant whose political incorrectness makes him a target for selective prosecution.
This is not justice. This is lawfare.
WE demand the following:
- Immediate reduction of Eatherly’s bond to a level consistent with your office’s historical practices in murder and attempted murder cases (no higher than $250,000, and ideally aligned with the attempted murder average).
- A full review and potential dismissal or significant reduction of the attempted murder charge if the evidence supports self-defense after he was attacked while attempting to disengage.
- Resignation of District Attorney General Robert Nash for presiding over a pattern of unequal application of the law that now culminates in this egregious constitutional violation.
- Judicial accountability, including review by the Tennessee Court of the Judiciary if the bond decision was influenced by improper considerations rather than constitutional standards.
The public is watching. Equal protection under the law and the prohibition on excessive bail are not suggestions. They are foundational to our republic. Treating a controversial defendant with attempted murder-level detention while granting far more leniency to actual killers undermines public trust in the entire system.
Failure to correct this immediately will only fuel the perception that Montgomery County’s justice system is being used as a political weapon rather than a neutral arbiter of facts and law.
WE expect prompt action and public response. This letter is a public record.
Sincerely,
We The People of The United States of America
Concerned Citizens / Advocates for Constitutional Rights
Concerned Citizens / Advocates for Constitutional Rights
CC: Governor Bill Lee, Tennessee Attorney General, Local and National Media, Tennessee General Assembly Oversight Committees.
Why is this important?
We are faced with a two-tiered justice system that unfairly targets white Americans with oppressive enforcement actions. This case represents a pivotal moment in American history, and has a significant impact on free speech, self-defense, and racial double-standards.
How it will be delivered
By certified mail and email.