Investigators looking for similarities in church fires
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents have been called in to investigate an arson at a vacant East Memphis church that was set on fire twice in less than four months.
Yolanda Jones
Reporter
Yolanda Jones covers criminal justice issues and general assignment news for The Daily Memphian. She previously was a reporter at The Commercial Appeal.
There are 774 articles by Yolanda Jones :
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October 2019
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Public Safety -
Public Safety Former Collierville attorney convicted of trying to kill his wife denied parole
Fred Wortman, the former Collierville lawyer who tried to kill his wife three times, has been denied parole. He will not be eligible again for a parole hearing until 2026.
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Public Safety Hearing set to determine if DNA of executed man should be tested
A hearing is set for Oct. 14 to determine whether DNA in the Sedley Alley murder case should be tested in an attempt to clear the executed man.
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City of Memphis Fire, police union leaders plan for next steps in wake of sales tax increase approval
Fire and police union leaders are preparing to meet to work out details of implementing the half-cent sales tax increase approved by voters Thursday to restore health and pension benefits.
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Public Safety Judge to consider unsealing closed-door session records in police surveillance case
Judge to consider unsealing records from closed-door session on Memphis police surveillance case.
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Metro Motel closed as nuisance will reopen after owners agree to security improvements
Red Roof Inn, a northeast Memphis motel closed as a public nuisance, will reopen after the owners agreed to hire security guards and install surveillance cameras.
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Metro Public asked to submit comments on Memphis Police Department accreditation
The public and police department employees are asked to submit comments to an accreditation group as the Memphis Police Department seeks re-accreditation.
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Elections Voters approve half-cent sales tax increase
Memphis voters approved raising the sales tax rate to restore health care benefits and pensions for first responders.
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Elections Herenton concession biggest news of early trends in voting
Check here throughout the day to see how balloting is going around the city, and into the evening as ballot tabulation begins.
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Public Safety Memphis violent crime down overall in 2018 but homicides increase, FBI stats show
While violent crime decreased in Memphis last year, there were mixed results on other crimes in the city, according to the 2018 FBI Uniform Crime Report released this week.
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Metro ‘Father of identity theft’ convicted of stealing from the dead
A 58-year-old Memphis man who nicknamed himself the “Father of Identity Theft” has been convicted after a week-long federal trial of aggravated identity theft in a scheme dating back five years.
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Public Safety City asks to modify surveillance consent decree for a second time
The City of Memphis has for a second time asked a federal judge to modify the 1978 consent decree that bars police from monitoring activities of protesters and activists.
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September 2019
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Public Safety Restoring ranks of Memphis Police Department is part of election campaigning
Hiring more officers for the Memphis Police Department has been part of campaigns, including Mayor Jim Strickland's re-election bid.
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Metro Motel closed as public nuisance after drugs activity, thefts and other crimes
Memphis police responded to 150 calls at the Red Roof Inn on Shelby Oaks Drive over the past year. After four fatal heroin overdoses, thefts, burglaries and other crimes, the motel was declared a public nuisance Friday, Sept. 27 and closed.
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Public Safety Two conferences will address domestic violence this week
Two domestic violence conferences will be held in Memphis this week to address domestic violence in the community.
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Public Safety Sheriff’s Office seeks extension on grant to reduce jail population
A $650,000 grant the Sheriff's Office received from the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge program is set to expire Oct. 1. County officials working on the grant to reduce the jail population have requested an extension.
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Metro Memphis Fire Department receives highest fire rating
Memphis Fire Department has a Class 1 fire rating after working over the past two years to improve its classification. The Class 1 ratings are reported to insurance companies, and businesses and homeowners may see a drop in their premiums.
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Public Safety TBI ID man killed in officer-involved shooting in South Memphis
A man was killed by Shelby County Sheriff's deputies in an officer-involved shooting Wednesday afternoon in the South Memphis area.
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Metro Martavious Banks files $10 million federal lawsuit against city, officers
Martavious Banks, 26, shot by Memphis police during a traffic stop, has filed a $10 million civil lawsuit in federal court against the officers and the city. The suit claims excessive force was used during the incident and that his constitutional rights were violated.
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Public Safety Defense attorney John Keith Perry gaining name recognition with high-profile cases
John Keith Perry, a Tennessee and Mississippi attorney, is representing the man accused in the killing of Lorenzen Wright and also the suspect in the shooting at Walmart in Southaven. Perry is gaining attention for taking on high-profile cases.
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Public Safety Family Safety Center’s executive director resigns
Olliette Murry-Drobot was executive director of the Family Safety Center of Memphis and Shelby County for nearly a decade. She left her job as head of the nonprofit this week, but she will remain in a consultant capacity as the organization searches for its next leader.
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Public Safety Symposium for reduction in violent crime draws law enforcement from around the country
Memphis was chosen to take part in a federal program in which local and federal law enforcement work together to fight violent crime. This week, law enforcement officials are in town for a summit on violent crime.
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Public Safety Juvenile crime charges on the rise, officials working to find solutions
The number of charges for violent juvenile crime has increased 64.2% for the first six months of the year, according to Juvenile Court. Officials and youth advocates are seeking solutions.
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August 2019
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City of Memphis Interstate shootings decrease as police patrols increase on I-240, I-55
There has been one interstate shooting reported on area highways since local and state law enforcement stepped up patrols earlier this summer, Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings said. Efforts are continuing.
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