• Conviction Review Unit

    Steve and other criminal justice leaders in Shelby County 

    believe in a conviction review unit - something 

    Amy Weirich has adamantly opposed

    (photo: Christine Tannous/The Commercial Appeal)

    Learn more
  • Poor People's Campaign

    Steve is proud to support this movement 

    "to overcome systemic racism, poverty, 

    ecological devastation and the war economy."

    Learn more
  • Working with Law Enforcement for a Fairer System

    Steve believes in working with law enforcement 

    to restore faith in the criminal justice system and bring justice back to Shelby County

    Learn more

Making Shelby County Safer & Fairer

Steve's Platform

Contact Steve to learn more

Prioritize Violent Crime

Redirect resources from minor, nonviolent offenses to serious, violent offenses. Use DA’s discretion to seek, for nonviolent offenses, community-based alternatives to expensive, sometimes counterproductive long term prison sentences. Free up resources to target repeat violent offenders.

Fix Our Broken
Bail System

People not convicted of a crime should not languish in jail for no reason other than that they can’t afford cash bail. Use discretion to provide alternatives to pretrial detention for people not convicted of any crime. Where appropriate, avoid cash bail. Where bail is appropriate, ensure that the bail is affordable and particularized to the individual defendant’s financial circumstances. Where the defendant is either a flight risk or a danger to the community, deny bail outright.

Juvenile Justice

Reduce transfer to adult court for young children and those accused of nonviolent crimes. Restore federal Department of Justice monitoring of Juvenile Court to correct racially disproportionate charging, detention, and sentencing.

Cost Effective Prosecutions

Require prosecutors to provide the judge an estimate of the cost of incarceration at sentencing.

Restorative Justice

Develop real, regularly used community-based interventions for property crimes, where victims can participate in arranging for restitution.

Conviction Integrity Unit

Establish Conviction Integrity Unit, as used in Nashville DA, to review prior cases for possible errors, wrongful convictions, etc.

Juvenile Court

Support expansion of Juvenile Court jurisdiction to age 25, due to modern science on teen brain development.reduce transfer to adult court for young children and those accused of nonviolent crimes. Restore federal Department of Justice monitoring of Juvenile Court to correct racially disproportionate charging, detention, and sentencing.

"Red Flag" Law

Support passage of a state “red flag” law, allowing court orders to temporarily take away guns from persons judicially deemed dangerous due to domestic violence incidents, mental health issues, etc.

Spend More on Law Enforcement

Support hiring more law enforcement officers, paying them better, and training them better to get the best law enforcement we can. This includes Implicit Bias training to address racial profiling; Deescalation training to address excessive force; and Search & Seizure training to protect people's privacy. 

Oppose Mass Incarceration & Overly Harsh Minimum Mandatory Sentencing 

Make Use of Court Divisions that Prioritize Rehabilitation (Drug Court, Veterans Court & Mental Health Court)

Appoint Independent Prosecutors to Investigate Police-Involved Shootings

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