One of the defendants in the civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of an inmate who died last year at the Shelby County Jail has filed to dismiss himself from the suit.

Wanda Halbert addressed the sudden closing of the County Clerk’s Poplar Plaza office at a press conference Thursday, Nov. 9. She maintains the exit was not an “eviction” but acknowledged her office missed paying two months’ rent and called it “trivial.”

The County Commission Scorecard catches up to a trio of police-reform ordinances — two approved and a third falling one vote short. Also, the 10 rounds of balloting to elect a new leader demonstrated ongoing divisions on the commission.

The enhanced security comes after an Oct. 26 stabbing that led to the death of Deion Byrd while he was in a holding area behind a criminal courtroom. 

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New Youth Justice and Education Center to provide a ‘different path’

Wanda Halbert’s office has been under investigation since June. The Chattanooga prosecutor leading the probe tells The Daily Memphian the closing of the Poplar Plaza clerk’s office has his attention.

Shelby County Chief Administrative Officer Harold Collins said Monday, Nov. 6, County Clerk Wanda Halbert has fallen behind on rent payments for her office in the Poplar Plaza shopping center. Halbert makes no mention of past-due rent.

The resolution directing the Economic Development Growth Engine to conduct a study of the controversial idea fell short by two votes. The commission also delayed votes on the county land bank and a police review board.

The commission also considers a study of wages paid by economic development projects that get property tax abatements as incentives at its Monday, Oct. 30, meeting.

The new instances uncovered in public records bring to 46 the number of substantiated instances of excessive force involving officers at 201 Poplar. 

The Daily Memphian’s D.C. Scorecard tracks the votes of the city’s two representative in the U.S. House as a new speaker was chosen Wednesday, Oct. 25.

Shelby County Health Department will offer free flu and COVID vaccines during working hours for Downtown workers and residents during Friday’s pop-up event at Civic Center Plaza. 

Deputies were notified “late last night” of her identification. 

Focus groups brought together by The Daily Memphian highlight many concerns residents have about the sources of crime and the difficulties involved in increasing public safety.

“There are things that my office is doing that I think the Cameron Sextons of the world would be pleased to hear,” Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy told The Daily Memphian in a recent interview. 

Collierville’s Industrial Development Board approved Campbell Clinic’s retention tax incentive. The suburb’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen must approve payment in lieu of taxes.

Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy said the office wouldn’t charge Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Michael Conder Tuesday, Oct. 17.

A plan to replace the Land Bank with a county government Real Estate Division moved ahead on the second of three votes. The commission also delayed revisiting a link between EDGE board incentives and wages.

Shelby County commissioners kick off a new effort Monday, Oct. 16, to require a certain level of pay for companies getting property-tax incentives from the Economic Development Growth Engine.

The 31 incidents occurred between June 2018 and September 2021, and they involved at least 27 correctional officers.

Shelby County Criminal Court 9 Judge Melissa Boyd said she reached an agreement with the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct to temporarily step down after complaints and an order of protection were filed against her.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a potential inmate suicide death inside the Shelby County Divisions of Corrections as of Saturday, Oct. 14.

The EPA has awarded $1 million to each of the three most populous metro areas in each state, with an aim to accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy and to combat the adverse effects of climate change.

The Shelby County Commission gave final approval Monday, Oct. 2, to a pair of ordinances calling on the Shelby County Sheriff to collect data on specialized units as well as traffic stops, use of force and citizen complaints. It rejected an ordinance asking the Sheriff’s Office to ban pretextual traffic stops.

Also on the commission agenda Monday, Oct. 2, are locations for a group of 30 surveillance cameras in the district of commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. One of the cameras is to be placed across the street from where he lives.

The idea of a new county splitting from Shelby still gets talked about in the suburbs, but the hurdles and the cost of such a move appear difficult to overcome.