Public Safety
Amid rebuke, public defender recused from another murder case
The office’s Major Cases Team has slowly dwindled. Over the last few months, four of its attorneys have resigned, one of whom was replaced with an existing employee.
Julia Baker
Reporter
There are 954 articles by Julia Baker :
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December 2023
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Public Safety Suspended judge pleads not guilty in criminal court
Suspended Shelby County Criminal Court Division 9 Judge Melissa Boyd’s attorneys say the allegations against her are an “intentional political move.”
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Public Safety Youth Villages resident’s hospital records show rare diagnosis before death
Attorney Ben Crump disclosed Alegend Jones’ medical records during a press conference as he urged Youth Villages to release video of the event that led to her injuries.
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East Memphis Library officially dedicated to fallen officer
“The sign we unveil today will serve as a constant reminder of Officer Redd’s sacrifice in his unwavering commitment to the safety and well being of others,” Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said.
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North Memphis Suspect dead after shoot-out with Sheriff’s deputies
At about 7:30 a.m., deputies attempted to stop a suspect wanted by the Germantown Police Department in connection with an attempted murder, according to a statement issued by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
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City of Memphis10,000 cameras: MPD grows video surveillance network
“This is 21st-century policing at its finest,” said MPD’s deputy chief of information technology. “We may not have an officer on every street corner in the city, but we can have a camera.”
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January 2024
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City of MemphisSheriff’s Office launches connected camera system
“It’s really gonna change the way we’re able to do our job,” said Lt. Jason Valentine, who leads the Sheriff’s Office’s Homeland Security department.
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Public Safety Cleotha Abston will be heard by a Shelby County jury
Shelby County Criminal Court Division 7 Judge Lee Coffee made the decision during a motion hearing Wednesday, Jan. 3, after Abston’s attorney filed a change-of-venue motion, specifically requesting a jury from Davidson County.
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Public Safety Memphis hits nearly 400 homicides in 2023
Memphis ended the year 2023 with 397 homicides, breaking the city’s previous homicide record by more than 50 additional killings.
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Public Safety Judge rejects Margolin suspect’s lower bond request after hearing new details
Shelby County Criminal Court Division 3 Judge James Jones Jr. made the ruling in Joel Bowman’s case Monday, Jan. 8, after hearing from witnesses, including the victim of the burglary and Bowman’s former basketball coach.
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Public SafetyWhat’s going on with MPD’s traffic stops? Depends on whom you ask.
Whether Memphis City Council’s ban on pretextual traffic stops is being followed, and what will happen in the future, remains unclear.
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Public SafetyCan MPD break from its violent past?
There was a time when violence against suspects was talked about freely within the force, according to former and current MPD officers. Relatively recent evidence suggests that kind of culture may have continued within the department.
Related story:
What’s going on with MPD’s traffic stops? Depends on whom you ask.
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Public Safety The Department of Justice releases a guide for specialized police units
The guide was written as part of a review from the U.S. DOJ Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office, which was requested by the City of Memphis and the Memphis Police Department.
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City of Memphis Cause of fire at Poplar Avenue and Highland Street Hop-In found
The Hop-In convenience store at South Highland Street and Poplar Avenue was engulfed in flames Monday, Jan. 15.
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Shelby County‘Snow Day’ has different meaning for essential services
From clearing roads to holding court, snow days come with some serious considerations and lots of detail for local government services.
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Public SafetyToo cold for crime? Wintry weather brings incident volume down
Memphis saw a 50% decrease in crime between Sunday, Jan. 14, and Tuesday, Jan. 16, from the same point in the week. Criminal incidents were down 62% from the same three-day period in 2023.
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Shelby CountyPay disparity in DA’s office could hamper prosecutorial abilities
Some of the 120 prosecutors working in the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office make as much as $70,000 more than their colleagues who work next to them.
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Metro Eight winter weather-related deaths reported in Shelby County
The causes of the deaths in Shelby County were not provided by the Tennessee Department of Health, which referred questions to local law enforcement authorities.
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Public Safety Report: DA’s office handled more than 87K cases in 13 months
“To say that that first year was a challenging one would be an understatement,” Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy said.
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North Memphis Four injured in police shooting and pursuit
Four people, two suspects and two civilians, were noncritically injured Friday, Jan. 26, after officers shot at alleged car thieves before the suspects fled and crashed into a civilian’s car.
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Public SafetyNew police union president looks to make ‘positive change’
As of Jan. 1, Sgt. Matthew Cunningham, 51, is president of Memphis Police Association, moving up from the vice president position.
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Public SafetyNew police union VP found career calling in ‘camaraderie of service’
John Covington was elected to the role of Memphis Police Association vice president in November and started Jan. 1.
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Public Safety New recordings from Nichols beating reveal disturbing details
In the new footage, other MPD officers are heard describing those in the SCORPION unit as “adrenaline junkies” who are too “hands-on.” One officer is also heard saying, “It’ll be justified.”
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February 2024
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Public Safety Suspect in killing of Memphis pastor pleads guilty
“You took my best friend, my soulmate, the one person that understood me,” the victim’s husband told the defendant. “I will never forgive you.”
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Public Safety Trial date for Young Dolph suspects reset
The trial for Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith initially was scheduled for March 11 in Shelby County Criminal Court Division 10 Judge Jennifer Mitchell’s courtroom.
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