The Daily Memphian recently put itself squarely into the case of the former Memphis Police officers charged in the death of Tyré Nichols. After presiding over the case since its inception, including throughout a federal trial that secured three convictions, U.S. District Judge Mark Norris abruptly recused himself in June. Since then, nearly every new filing in one of the city’s most closely watched cases has been sealed from public view; presumably, the reason for Norris’ recusal would be included in the sealed documents. The DM last week filed a motion in federal court to unseal those records, arguing the public’s First Amendment right to access criminal proceedings. At a status conference last week, the judge who’s now presiding over the case said she would rule on The DM’s motion by mid-September.

Former Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins appeared in court for the first time last week in a case she’s brought against the school board. Feagins is alleging that board members violated Tennessee’s open meetings law to fire her, essentially voiding the vote which would — in her argument — reestablish her as superintendent. The hearing for a preliminary injunction, which asks a judge to make a type of early ruling in a case, covered plenty of ground, but one thing the board’s attorney didn’t mention in open court was the fact that her return, if approved, would almost certainly not last. “Any such re-employment would be extremely short-lived until the next special called meeting, where (the school board) would have the opportunity to reaffirm its previous termination vote and immediately remove (Feagins) from its employ a second time,” Robert Spence, the board’s attorney, wrote in court documents filed late Monday before Tuesday’s hearing. Meanwhile, The Daily Memphian reported on a July 16 deposition during which Feagins answered questions about how she sourced claims that board members illegally met in private to plot her termination.

Also last week, xAI said it planned to power on its second Memphis data center, Colossus 2 in Whitehaven, within weeks; the Memphis City Council approved a new 50-year lease for the Historical Daisy; and former Shelby County Sheriff and Mayor Bill Morris, who shaped the lives of Memphians through his work over the past 50 years, died at age 92.

— Metro editor Jane Donahoe

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The Daily Memphian recently put itself squarely into the case of the United States of America vs. Emmitt Martin III et al — but that wasn’t the local news site’s original intent.

In deposition, Marie Feagins was pressed on private meeting claims and a ‘formal complaint’ By Laura Testino

A Feagins return to MSCS leader would be ‘short-lived,’ attorneys argue By Laura Testino

XAI could tackle some MSCS building upgrades By Laura Testino

Former mayor, sheriff Bill Morris dies at 92 By Jody Callahan

Ask the Memphian: Is it safe to swim in the Mississippi River? By Jody Callahan

Feagins made her case to be MSCS' leader again. Here’s what she said. By Laura Testino

Deal to keep Grizzlies in Memphis won't be done this summer, mayor says By Samuel Hardiman

School board members say lawsuit possible if terms shortened By Bill Dries

XAI's second data center to come online within weeks By Samuel Hardiman

City Council approves Old Daisy lease, gets look at Oak Court Mall plans By Bill Dries

Dr. Marion Dugdale championed hemophilia patients in clinics and classrooms By Jane Roberts

TDOT: Paver of roads, saver of butterflies? By Nick Lingerfelt

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