Resident David Hoal was 59 when he died on June 3, 2019.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday, Dec. 23, it has reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit alleging failure to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the Shelby County Jail. 

Domestic violence has exploded this year locally and across the country since the novel coronavirus struck – a pandemic within a pandemic that’s filled police blotters with a spike in accounts of extreme brutality.

Rick Barlow, a sports broker who authorities said scammed $1.3 million from victims by promising tickets to sporting events, has pleaded guilty to theft charges. 

The Memphis Police Department has hired victim advocates to help families of homicide victims. The new program offers immediate intervention so families can start healing after a tragic loss. 

Police say the boy accidentally shot and killed his 9-year-old cousin with the gun of the boy’s father. The incident occurred March 13 in the Cordova area.

The Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board elected former MPD Col. James Kirkwood as its new chairman Tuesday. 

Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings issued a brief statement Monday about the record number of homicides in the city. To date, 302 people have been killed. 

Darren Goods, a veteran Memphis Police officer who was former head of the gang unit, has retired and taken a job with the state Department of Children Services. 

Carjackings are “basically a crime of opportunity,” said Lt. Jimmy Lewis of MPD’s Violent Crimes Unit. And this year, he said, police are seeing guns used more often during the crimes.

Memphis has reached 300 homicides this year, a record- shattering number. 

While he suffered no serious injuries, Ricky Floyd made a significant decision following the shooting. He resigned as interim chairman of the local Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB).

Season of Remembrance, the annual event to honor homicide victims in Memphis, will go on but events will be socially distanced and virtual because of the pandemic. 

Judge Evans, a fixture in Shelby County Chancery Court, is retiring from the bench at the end of November. 

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich has released body camera videos of the 2018 police shooting of Martavious Banks. 

The Tennessee Supreme Court has suspended all jury trials in the state because of a surge in COVID-19 cases. Trials are suspended Nov. 23 through Jan. 31. 

The Family Safety Center and Memphis police said during the holidays, they see an increase in domestic violence incidents. And during the pandemic, they have also seen an increase in cases. 

Al Bond, a patrolman for three years, has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman at a party. 

A variety of community voices spoke out on police reform during two discussions last week. 

Two conversations about police reform show the more detailed the proposed reforms become, the more differences they reveal.

The Unity Walk Against Gun Violence held Saturday marks a year when the city set a new high for homicides by September. As of Nov. 13, there have been 271 homicides, 43 more than the previous high of 228 in 2016.

Thanks to a $130,000 grant, education classes will continue remotely for inmates at the Shelby County Correctional Center. 

The federal Department of Justice will allow local police serving on federal task forces to wear body cameras. In Memphis and other parts of the country, federal officials have been criticized for banning the use of cameras on joint local-federal operations. 

Leaders urge citizens to take part in Unity Walk Against Gun Violence Saturday, Nov. 14. 

Homicides involving children are on the rise, and community leaders are looking for answers.