NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Jillian’s Law is in effect starting July 1. That law was passed along with a sea of other new legislation from the Tennessee General Assembly.
Named after Jillian Ludwig , the 18-year-old who was killed by a stray bullet in November 2023, “Jillian’s Law” changes how the criminal justice system handles offenders labeled incompetent to stand trial.
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According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Ludwig was shot in the head while she was walking along the track in the Edgehill Community Memorial Gardens Park.
The alleged shooter was prosecuted in April 2023 for an assault with a deadly weapon charge but was let back on the streets after three court-appointed physicians ruled that he was incompetent to stand trial.
“Jillian’s Law” will require any person deemed incompetent to stand trial to be entered into the National Instant Background Check System, which prohibits those in a name check database from buying firearms. The bill considers anyone who has been charged with a felony or Class A misdemeanor and found to be incompetent to stand trial “to pose a substantial likelihood of serious harm.” The law will also require defendants, like in Ludwig’s case, to be admitted in an appropriate treatment facility.