Removal to the State Penitentiary

In counties where, because of the insufficiency of the county jail or for any other cause, the court may be of opinion that the safekeeping of the convicts may require it, the court may order the immediate removal of convicts to the penitentiary or to the nearest branch prison, at the cost of the state, before the expiration of the time allowed to remove such convicts.  Every such convict shall, as soon as possible after conviction, be safely removed and conveyed to the penitentiary or to one of the branch prisons by the person appointed by the commissioner of correction for that purpose. T.C.A. § 40-23-107. Dover v. Rose, 709 F.2d 436, 437 n.1 (6th Cir. 1983) (State trial judges in Tennessee have the authority to transfer prisoners in county jails to the state penitentiary or the nearest branch prison "where, because of the insufficiency of the county jail, or for any other cause, the court may be of opinion that the safekeeping of the convicts may require it, ....") citing Chisom v. State, 539 S.W.2d 831, 833 (Tenn. Crim. App.1976) (Clearly, the trial judge was within his authority to commit the defendant, a convicted rapist, to the penitentiary pending the outcome of any attendant appellate proceedings in his case.). See Burt v. State, 454 S.W.2d 182 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1970) (holding that transfer of convict to state penitentiary prior to final determination of appeal does not raise a constitutional question). But see State v. Grey, 602 S.W.2d 259 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1980) (holding that the trial court was without authority to transfer a pretrial detainee to the state penitentiary).