In this issue
- New Year announcement
- Judge Anderson resigns
- Feagins in jeopardy
- Sugarmon sues Sheriff
Author: Mick Wright
In this issue
- Halbert case dismissed
- Bartlett town hall
- Happy Halo-days
Halbert case dismissed
November was an eventful month, with the Presidential election, Thanksgiving, and a new round of frustration with our local justice system.
As you know, I’ve been paying careful attention to the ouster case against the Shelby County Clerk. Once again, the case has been dismissed for lack of standing. This was the opinion of a circuit court judge who ruled that the county attorney’s office could not hire outside counsel as a way to work around her conflict of interest.
I released a statement on this second dismissal, and I also joined Memphis Morning News to discuss the latest developments in the case.
The court has wasted an entire year focusing on technicalities, without a moment’s consideration of the real problems harming real people in Shelby County. The merits of this case need to be heard. Then, and only then, will this matter be resolved.
In this issue
- Election Day arrives
- Honoring blood donors
- Lakeland Safety TIF
- Juvenile Court dispute
Election Day arrives
Tuesday is Election Day and the last chance to cast a ballot if you weren’t among the 257,715 Shelby County residents who voted early or absentee.
The federal offices being decided are President, Senator and Representative. State Senate and House seats are also on the ballot, as well as municipal positions in Bartlett, Lakeland and other cities around the county.
If you need information about the election or help finding your polling place, please visit the Shelby County Election Commission’s website, electionsshelbytn.gov.
In this issue
- Better bail data
- Judge Anderson strikes again
- Emergency jail repairs
- Supporting Dr. Feagins
Better bail data
One year ago, an initial round of bail hearing data was released by the Judicial Commissioner program and General Sessions Court.
The report looked at case outcomes before and after the Standing Bail Order went into effect.
But a faulty configuration within the report led to the conclusion that the rearrest rate had fallen as a result of reforms to the court’s bail-setting process.
Categories
Emergency jail repairs
Background
Earlier this year, a power surge at the jail damaged electrical systems and contributed to a cascade of issues including cell doors that don’t close.
These issues in turn have added additional manpower needs for a department already facing staffing shortages.
It being the one job of the jail to detain individuals, the county had to respond.
Emergency repairs and other maintenance issues continue to arise at the jail, which is showing its age on top of evidently being designed by a moron. So far the total repairs are estimated to cost $16 million.
