Layoffs hit education department at Memphis Zoo
Workers say about 25 employees were affected, although a statement from the zoo did not specify the number.
Ben Wheeler
Ben Wheeler is an investigative reporter and is a member of The Daily Memphian’s public safety reporting team. He previously worked at the Yankton Daily Press and Dakotan and Herald-Citizen.
There are 175 articles by Ben Wheeler :
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September 2023
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City of Memphis
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August 2023
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Public Safety ‘I’ve got a video, too:’ DOJ hosts community meeting on MPD investigation
Multiple attendees told Department of Justice employees that the Memphis Police Department has a culture problem, one that has persisted for years.
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Public Safety Inmate dies at 201 Poplar, the fourth death there this year
A 70-year-old jail inmate died Aug. 22 while in custody at the jail. His body was sent out for an autopsy, TBI said.
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Public Safety Hudspeth, Ross families call for answers
“To wear my son’s cremated ashes around my neck this morning, I want justice for my son. My son was murdered. He wasn’t killed,” said Charlotte Haggett, Jarveon Hudspeth’s mother.
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Public Safety DA releases videos of Jarveon Hudspeth’s fatal encounter with sheriff’s deputy
Portions of video footage from Jarveon Hudspeth’s fatal encounter with a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputy were released by the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday, Aug. 24.
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Public SafetyMemphis has a juvenile curfew, but we don’t know if it works
City of Memphis Chief Communications Officer Allison Fouche confirmed the city isn’t collecting data on the number of youths detained: “Our focus has been on enforcing the curfew when necessary.”
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Public Safety What is a conservatorship, and what does it do in the Michael Oher case?
Most often used for those unable to make their own decisions, a conservatorship in Michael Oher’s case was a means to allow him to play football at Ole Miss, Sean Tuohy contends.
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Public Safety City appealing ruling in class-action rape kit backlog suit
Attorneys for the City of Memphis are appealing the class-action status of a lawsuit against the city over its lack of testing of more than 12,000 rape kits.
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Public Safety Family retains attorney Ben Crump following death in MPD custody
Courtney Ross’ death is the fourth local case with which civil rights attorney Ben Crump has become involved.
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NeighborhoodsPast partner’s history jeopardizes Southeast Memphis housing project
One of the projects that has long been announced by Horizon, but has yet to move forward, is a development called Kirby Pointe Apartments, which has had its own issues and legal battles.
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Public SafetyCity prepared for ‘uncharted territory’ prior to Nichols’ video release
According to emails released to The Daily Memphian, the MFD prepped for an “all hands on deck” situation while preparing for potential civil unrest following the release of footage of Tyre Nichols’ traffic stop.
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Public Safety Two properties declared nuisances in South Memphis
“These locations have been the site of repeated crimes in the neighborhood and have been the subject of numerous complaints from residents as being not only the site, but the drivers of crime in that neighborhood.”
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Public SafetySuspect at Hebrew Academy shooting is former student
The alleged shooter is reportedly a former student at the Academy and is Jewish, per an updated statement from Congressman Steve Cohen.
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Public SafetyFederal probe into MPD brings questions, cheers, fears it won’t go far enough
The new federal investigation puts Memphis in the company of other cities that have been the subject of scrutiny after high-profile instances of police violence.
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July 2023
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Public Safety DOJ announces pattern and practice investigation into MPD
Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division said that the investigation is not tied to one specific incident or unit of MPD.
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Update
ColliervilleMental health evaluation ordered for Larry Pickens
The alleged shooter of a Campbell Clinic physician will undergo a mental health evaluation and has been assigned an attorney.
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Public Safety Judge denies attempt to reopen Alicia Franklin civil suit against city
Alicia Franklin was allegedly raped by Cleotha Henderson, aka Abston, in 2021 — more than a year before his arrest for the death of Eliza Fletcher.
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Metro Understanding the Ja Morant civil lawsuit
Explaining exactly what the holdup is — and what the state’s involvement is — in the civil lawsuit against the Memphis Grizzlies star.
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Public SafetySupreme Court ruling could lead to discrimination, one attorney says
The high court ruled in favor of a designer who refused to create wedding websites for same-sex couples. “It’s complicated because the court has framed this as being about free speech ...” Melissa Stewart said.
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Public SafetyHighway Patrol steps up pretextual traffic stops for minor offenses in Memphis
The THP officers are not bound by Memphis City Council reforms put in place after Nichols’ death in January at the hands of the Memphis Police Department’s since-disbanded SCORPION unit.
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June 2023
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Public SafetyFormer Woodland Presbyterian pastor admitted sexual abuse
Admissions came during discovery after state appeals court allowed the case to move forward.
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Public SafetyState panel decertifies sheriff’s deputy but denies MPD request
Some Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission board members asked if Shelby County law enforcement agencies might be over-reacting as they send cases to the POST board.
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Memphis GrizzliesDeposition: Ja Morant’s friend recounts pickup game fight
Ja Morant’s childhood friend, Davonte Pack, said during the deposition that the “fight” was minimal.
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Public SafetyPoll confirms it: Local residents think speeding is a major problem
A majority of polled residents in the city and Shelby County say they witness speeding or reckless driving on Memphis streets and highways more than once a week.
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Public Safety Teen suing Ja Morant asks to find sheriff’s office in contempt
The case revolves around an alleged fight during a pickup game at Ja Morant’s house.
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