Federal Judge Allows Enforcement of Tennessee Ban on ‘Restorative Justice’ Bail Policy, Prompts Celebration from State Senator

Gavel court judge order

State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) confirmed on Friday that enforcement of his legislation prohibiting Tennessee judges from considering a defendant’s ability to pay when setting their bail was allowed by a federal judge.

The judge made the decision despite determining the lawsuit brought by restorative justice organization Just City against Tennessee over the law will proceed.

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Proposed Tennessee Board of Education Rules to Limit Public Comment Faces Public Opposition from Sen. Brent Taylor

Brent Taylor

New rules proposed by the Tennessee State Board of Education to the General Assembly last Thursday met strong public opposition from Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis), who on Tuesday vowed to vote against a change that would limit public comment to 10 individuals per topic and require parents to provide 48-hours notice of their intention to speak.

The rules were proposed during a Thursday meeting of the joint Government Operations Committee in the General Assembly. Among other new restrictions, they would limit comment to 10 members of the public per issue and require parents to fill out a form 48 hours in advance in order to speak.

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Nearly 1,000 Sign Petition for Cordova to Establish Own Tennessee Municipality, Reverse Memphis Annexation

Cordova Community Center

Nearly 1,000 people have signed a petition seeking the de-annexation of Cordova from the City of Memphis, citing the city’s struggles with crime, poverty, and road maintenance as key motivators for the effort.

Anonymously created, the Change.org petition argues Cordova has experienced “a downward spiral” since it was annexed by Memphis in 2012, with “an alarming increase in crime rates and a significant drop in home values,” as well as schools left “suffering” without “essential services,” and “pothole-ridden roads” depressing economic activity.

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Tennessee State Sen. Brent Taylor Vows Complaint over Social Media Posts Won’t ‘Intimidate,’ ‘Influence’ Effort to Remove D.A. Steve Mulroy

Brent Taylor and Steve Mulroy

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor on Wednesday said the recent request for an investigation over his posts to social media will neither “intimidate” nor “influence” him against his plan to file a resolution in order to oust Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy.

Taylor released his statement after a request for an investigation was submitted to the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) by District 28 Attorney General Fred Agee, who Tennessee Lookout reported asked both agencies whether Taylor committed a Class B misdemeanor in his posts.

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Embattled Shelby County District Attorney’s Office Confirms Sending Current, Former Employee Records in Mass Email

Steve Mulroy

The office of embattled Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy on Wednesday confirmed to media outlets it accidentally sent the employee records of nearly 300 current and former staff members, including social security numbers, in a mass email to employees.

A statement released by Mulroy’s office to media outlets confirmed the leak of the information, which Fox 13 Memphis reported came in the form of a spreadsheet that “contained the personal information of almost 300 current and former employees dating back to 2014.”

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State Sen. Brent Taylor Responds to ‘Misinformation’ Claims over Push to Oust D.A. Steve Mulroy, Publishes Full Transcript of Interview

Steve Mulroy and Brent Taylor

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) on Wednesday published his public response to the MLK50 article, which accused him of using misinformation about Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy and Memphis crime in his effort to oust the district attorney from office.

In addition to rebutting or providing context to the five alleged points of misinformation MLK50 reporter Katherine Burgess included in the publication’s report, Taylor also provided the full transcript of the email interview he completed at Burgess’ request.

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State Senator Brent Taylor Sets Up Crime Victim Hotline to Gather Complaints Against Shelby County DA Steve Mulroy

Brent Taylor and Steve Mulroy

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) announced Monday that his office has set up a hotline for crime victims and current or former staff members of the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office to gather complaints against District Attorney Steve Mulroy.

Last week, Taylor announced that he intends to file a Senate Joint Resolution immediately following the November election requiring the removal of Mulroy.

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Shelby County District Attorney Drops Diversion Plan for Felons in Possession of Firearms When Threatened to Be Removed from Office

Steve Mulroy and Brent Taylor

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy announced his office would not pursue a previous diversion plan for felons in possession of firearms after Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) said that he intends to file a Senate Joint Resolution immediately following the November election requiring the removal of Mulroy.

Last week, Mulroy announced that his office was considering an “alternative approach” for felons charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by offering diversion to such defendants.

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State Senator Brent Taylor Says Memphis Will Be ‘Hollowed Out’ If Crime is Not Addressed

Brent Taylor

State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) warned that Memphis will be ‘hollowed out’ if its crime problem is not addressed.

Taylor, who sponsored several crime-related bills in the recently-adjourned legislative session of the General Assembly, said the response he has received from the community in Memphis for his work to crackdown on crime has been positive.

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Shelby County Sheriff Makes Plea to Parents as Youth Justice and Education Center Nears Capacity

Floyd Bonner

Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. is pleading with parents to provide their children with guidance and involvement as the Youth Justice and Education Center nears capacity.

The Youth Justice and Education Center is a 146-bed, single-occupancy secure detention center designed for youth “identified to be a danger to themselves, a danger to the community, or a flight risk.”

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Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor Sponsors Several Crime-Related Bills in Effort to ‘Make Memphis Matter’

State Senator Brent Taylor

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) announced he is sponsoring several crime-related bills this legislative session in an effort to fight crime and “Make Memphis Matter.”

In a letter to his colleagues in the Tennessee State Senate, Taylor detailed 13 pieces of legislation he is sponsoring and asked his colleagues to consider sponsoring the bills as well.

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State Senator Brent Taylor: ‘If We Don’t Get It Turned Around,’ Memphis will Become the ‘Example of a Failed City’

Brent Taylor

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) said Memphis will become the “butt of every joke” and the “example of a failed city” if its bail system and crime crisis are not addressed.

Noting how Detroit was once an example of a “failed city” and a “shell of its former self,” Taylor explained what steps the city has taken to reduce crime and how Memphis should follow its lead.

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Tennessee State Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Make Blocking a Highway a Class D Felony Offense

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) and State Representative Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) recently filed legislation to make blocking a highway a Class D felony.

Under current law, it is classified as a Class A misdemeanor when a defendant “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly” obstructs a public highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, elevator, aisle, or hallway.

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Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor Urges TBI to Investigate, Arrest Pro-Palestine Protesters Who Blocked Traffic on I-40 in Memphis

Brent Taylor

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) joined Monday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss a letter he sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) regarding its response to a group of pro-Palestine protesters that blocked traffic in both directions on I-40 in Memphis over the weekend.

On Saturday, a group of pro-Palestine protesters commandeered the Mississippi River Bridge on I-40 in Memphis, shutting down traffic in both directions for nearly two hours and leaving motorists with no way to cross the Mississippi River as the I-55 river bridge was under construction.

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