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Media Coverage

• Memphis Flyer: Criminal Justice Reform IRL Once again, I have no opinions to share professionally. So I’m learning instead.
  
  Steve Mulroy is set to be sworn in as Shelby County’s next district attorney general next week, after winning the seat in this month’s election and naming his transition team last week. Folks are chattering and wondering about what some of Mulroy’s “progressive” ideas on criminal justice will look like off the chalkboard and applied every day in Shelby County. I wanted to know, too, so I asked for professional help.
  
  Memphis Flyer Memphis Flyer: Criminal Justice Reform IRL
• Washington Post: Democrat defeats incumbent Republican in Memphis DA race A Democratic lawyer who pledged to make abortion prosecutions under Tennessee’s “trigger law” an extremely low priority in the county that includes Memphis has defeated the incumbent Republican district attorney who refused to say whether she would go after doctors who perform the procedure.
  
  Washington Post Washington Post: Democrat defeats incumbent Republican in Memphis DA race
• MLK50: Steve Mulroy blows out Weirich; Tarik Sugarmon wins as well The fundamental question asked of Shelby County residents in the district attorney race was “What do you want justice to look like?”
  With the election of Steve Mulroy, the answer, at its simplest, seems to be “different.”
  
  MLK50 MLK50: Steve Mulroy blows out Weirich; Tarik Sugarmon wins as well
• Daily Memphian: Amy Weirich’s “conflict of interest” DA consents to interview with Thaddeus Matthews as her office pursues criminal charges against him
  
  Daily Memphian Daily Memphian: Amy Weirich’s “conflict of interest”
• The Huffington Post Slams Amy Weirich When Shelby County’s top prosecutor, [Amy Weirich](https://ballotpedia.org/Amy_Weirich), was running for reelection in 2014, she [declared](https://www.facebook.com/DAWeirich/videos/i-dont-apologize-for-being-tough-on-crime/858129127532849), “I don’t apologize for being tough on crime.” In the years that followed, she lived up to that pledge. Over a long tenure as the top law enforcement official in a large Tennessee county that includes Memphis, Weirich has aggressively pursued violent and petty crime cases and cast herself as an unabashedly pro-police district attorney.
  
  Huffington Post The Huffington Post Slams Amy Weirich
• Showdown Monday on Voting Machines Proponents of hand-marked paper ballots held a press conference Friday on the eve of Monday’s Shelby County Commission meeting, where a vote is scheduled to approve or reject a rival system employing ballot-marking devices.
  
  Memphis Flyer Showdown Monday on Voting Machines
• Shelby County Commissioners, past, present and future, voice opposition to voting machine plan Former, current and future Shelby County Commissioners gathered Friday to voice their opposition to a plan to approve the purchase of new voting machines for Shelby County, an idea poised to be voted on by the current county commission Monday.
  
  Commercial Appeal Shelby County Commissioners, past, present and future, voice opposition to voting machine plan
• Democrats urge County Commission to vote against new voting machines Days ahead of a Shelby County Commission vote Monday, June 6, on whether to fund new voting machines for the county, opponents of the resolution gathered at an early voting site Friday to urge the County Commission to vote it down.
  
  Daily Memphian Democrats urge County Commission to vote against new voting machines
• Shelby Election Commission voting machine proposal would waste taxpayer money You can’t hack a pencil. And pencils don’t cost $5000. Those are two compelling reasons to oppose the Election Commission’s proposal to the County Commission.
  
  Commercial Appeal Shelby Election Commission voting machine proposal would waste taxpayer money
• The DA race is down to 2 candidates: Here’s where they stand on the important issues MLK50 prepared a list of questions to Steve Mulroy and his Republican incumbent opponent Amy Weirich. While Mulroy emailed his answers in response, Weirich did not respond, so MLK50 used public statements as a guide to her stance on various issues.
  
  The article discusses an array of topics about the criminal justice system ranging from gun violence to marijuana possession and abortion rights.
  
  MLK50: Justice Through Journalism The DA race is down to 2 candidates: Here’s where they stand on the important issues
• Steve Mulroy wins Democratic primary for DA _The Daily Memphian _reported the results of Tuesday night’s primary the day after the election:
  Complete, unofficial results:
  **Mulroy: 22,123**
  **White: 15,876**
  **Harris: 10,055**
  
  Daily Memphian Steve Mulroy wins Democratic primary for DA
• And the winner is… Steve Mulroy! And the results are in! Steve Mulroy won the Shelby County primary election to become the Democratic nominee for District Attorney. He will be facing Republican incumbent Amy Weirich in the general election in August.
  
  Memphis Commercial Appeal And the winner is… Steve Mulroy!
• Steve Mulroy and other DA candidates debate approaches to criminal justice reform The Daily Memphian’s Julia Baker reported: _“‘We are number one in the state in Shelby County for prosecutorial misconduct and ethical violations, both by the office generally and by our incumbent … that leads to overturned convictions,’ Mulroy said._
  
  Daily Memphian Steve Mulroy and other DA candidates debate approaches to criminal justice reform
• Memphis Seven and organized labor back Steve for DA The group of Starbucks union activists made national news in February when they were fired in retaliation for their efforts to unionize the coffee shop at Poplar and Highland.
  
  Memphis Flyer Memphis Seven and organized labor back Steve for DA
• Steve Mulroy for Racial Justice In the weeks leading up to the primary, Steve testified in front of the Tennessee Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Human Rights to discuss civil rights and voter suppression.
  
  Memphis Flyer Steve Mulroy for Racial Justice
• Amy Weirich facing hotly contested race against potential Dem opponent,”local legal icon” Steve Mulroy The Republican Party is facing a number of challenging county-wide races this year, writes Memphis Flyer political columnist Jackson Baker in a recent article.
  
  Memphis Flyer Amy Weirich facing hotly contested race against potential Dem opponent,”local legal icon” Steve Mulroy
• Shelby County district attorney’s race heats up over diversity - NBC Action News 5 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The Shelby County District’s Attorney General’s race is heating up with one candidate, University of Memphis law professor Steve Mulroy, accusing the incumbent district attorney, Amy Weirich, of lacking diversity in her office.
  
  NBC Action News 5 Shelby County district attorney’s race heats up over diversity - NBC Action News 5
• 'This is unacceptable': In District Attorney General's Office, 10% of attorneys, supervisors are Black - Commercial Appeal The current Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office is made up of only 30% Black employees, according to data released by Steve Mulroy, a Democratic candidate for Shelby County District Attorney General.
  
  Commercial Appeal 'This is unacceptable': In District Attorney General's Office, 10% of attorneys, supervisors are Black - Commercial Appeal
• Mulroy questions diversity in the DA’s office - Daily Memphian The Shelby County District Attorney General’s office needs to be more racially and ethnically diverse, Democratic DA candidate Steve Mulroy said Tuesday, April 5. 
  
  Daily Memphian Mulroy questions diversity in the DA’s office - Daily Memphian
• Amy Weirich faces national criticism yet again The article, which reports on the recall elections facing a number of progressive DAs around the country, mentions Weirich’s as one example of an overzealous and [discriminatory DA office](about:blank) that is, hypocritically, facing no such recall effort.
  
  Slate Amy Weirich faces national criticism yet again
• Public Petition to Remove District Attorney Amy Weirich From Public Office Weirich has a pattern of using her office, City, and County resources to intimidate community members especially those members protesting official misconduct. She has also abused her discretion by charging people under state law for manufacturing and intent to sell marijuana when it was only a simple possession.
  
  Change.org Public Petition to Remove District Attorney Amy Weirich From Public Office
• Mulroy promises sweeping change at annual St. Patrick’s Day party The Commercial Appeal covered Steve’s St. Patrick’s Day party at the new campaign headquarters in Poplar Plaza. In the photo above, Steve is leading the kids in his [annual St. Patrick’s Day sing-along of “The Unicorn Song.”](https://www.facebook.com/100063613254382/videos/pcb.384753293655109/1184484142367743)
  
  Daily Memphian Mulroy promises sweeping change at annual St. Patrick’s Day party
• Steve Mulroy vows to establish a Conviction Integrity Unit if elected DA Steve Mulroy is among the many public figures who have come out in support of establishing a Conviction Integrity Unit. Under current DA Amy Weirich, the Shelby County court system has come under increased criticism from local and national activists in response to prosecutorial misconduct, wrongful convictions, and discriminatory sentencing.
  
  Commercial Appeal Steve Mulroy vows to establish a Conviction Integrity Unit if elected DA
• Advocates request racial equity audit of Amy Weirich’s DA The call came on the heels of the controversial sentencing of Pamela Moses, a local Black Lives Matter activist who was sentenced to six years in jail all for registering to vote. Last month, her conviction was overturned, and she was released.
  
  Daily Memphian Advocates request racial equity audit of Amy Weirich’s DA
• Steve Mulroy Quoted in Guardian Article Covering How Harsh Punishments for Black Americans Over Voting Errors Spark Outcry This comes after many criminal justice reform experts, activists, and advocates — including Steve Mulroy — criticized Moses’ sentencing, and even [protested outside the jail in the cold](about:blank).
  
  The Guardian Steve Mulroy Quoted in Guardian Article Covering How Harsh Punishments for Black Americans Over Voting Errors Spark Outcry
• Mulroy and other U of M law professors file brief in voting rights restoration case The article reads:
  _“During a press conference Tuesday, March 1, Mulroy along with Kiel and former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice George Brown announced their support for the brief. They also addressed the overall voting rights restoration issue for former felons in Tennessee._
  
  Daily Memphian Mulroy and other U of M law professors file brief in voting rights restoration case
• Democrats call for unity to defeat incumbent DA On March 1, the Daily Memphian reported:
  _“Democratic candidates for Shelby County District Attorney, Steve Mulroy (second from left) and Janika White (fourth from left), stand with criminal justice advocates (from left) Cardell Orrin, Tikelia Rucker, Josh Spickler and TaJuan Stout Mitchell outside 201 Poplar … call[ing] for unity to bring change to the criminal justice system and to defeat incumbent Amy Weirich_.”
  
  Daily Memphian Democrats call for unity to defeat incumbent DA
• Will Shelby County’s next DA back ‘truth in sentencing’? Steve says we need better policies On February 27, the Commercial Appeal published an article discussing “truth in sentencing,” which requires _“violent criminals to serve a specific percentage or even the entirety of their sentences without the possibility of parole.”_
  
  Some Shelby County leaders – including the incumbent District Attorney – advocate for these harsh restrictions.
  
  Commercial Appeal Will Shelby County’s next DA back ‘truth in sentencing’? Steve says we need better policies
• Steve Comments on Pamela Moses’ Overturned Conviction The surprising announcement came from incumbent District Attorney Amy Weirich’s office, blaming the mistake on the Tennessee Department of Correction, and referencing “political opportunists” discussing the case publicly.
  
  Memphis Flyer Steve Comments on Pamela Moses’ Overturned Conviction
• Steve Mulroy Quoted in Guardian Article Knocking Incumbent DA for Jailing Pamela Moses Previously, [Steve stood outside of 201 Poplar with others protesting the sentencing](about:blank).
  Now, The Guardian spoke to Steve about Pamela Moses’ treatment.
  
  The Guardian Steve Mulroy Quoted in Guardian Article Knocking Incumbent DA for Jailing Pamela Moses
• Local Lawmakers Write In Protest to Starbucks CEO On February 9, Steve Mulroy wrote a letter to Starbucks Corp.’s president and CEO, co-signed by local elected officials, to “protest the firing of employees here seemingly related to efforts to unionize a Memphis store,” reported the Memphis Flyer.
  
  The story gained national attention after the Starbucks workers – at the Highland and Poplar location – banned together to unionize and were subsequently fired.
  
  Memphis Flyer Local Lawmakers Write In Protest to Starbucks CEO
• Steve Mulroy Joins Protesters Against Voting Fraud Sentence The Memphis Flyer reported:
  “_Moses has continued to proclaim her innocence._
  
  Memphis Flyer Steve Mulroy Joins Protesters Against Voting Fraud Sentence
• Fundraising Comparisons Earlier this month, The Daily Memphian released an article examining fundraising successes by the Jan. 31 deadline from various Shelby County campaigns – including for the race for District Attorney.
  
  Daily Memphian Fundraising Comparisons
• Coverage of the Shelby County District Attorney Race, Highlighting Steve Mulroy, in The Memphis Flyer Early February, The Memphis Flyer released an article highlighting the Shelby County District Attorney race and describing Steve Mulroy as incumbent Amy Weirich’s “most likely Democratic opponent.”
  
  The article touched on various [policy issues](about:blank) that both Steve and his opponent have discussed during their fundraisers.
  
  Memphis Flyer Coverage of the Shelby County District Attorney Race, Highlighting Steve Mulroy, in The Memphis Flyer
• Memphis Is The Most Dangerous City In America. Blame Amy Weirich. Experts told Memphis Watch that the problem boils down to Weirich’s inability to lead. In cities across the country where violent crime has decreased, prosecutors prioritize their limited resources on the most serious offenses – crimes like rapes, armed robberies, shootings, and murders. And those prosecutors deprioritize low level offenses like marijuana possession or stealing diapers from a Walmart. In fact, a recent study from economists at the Public Safety Lab found that an approach like Weirich’s, which wastes scarce resources on low-level offenses, can actually increase crime.
  
  Memphis Watch Memphis Is The Most Dangerous City In America. Blame Amy Weirich.
• Coverage of Steve Mulroy’s Bid for Shelby County District Attorney & Other Races in The Daily Memphian Below are some excerpts from the article that discuss Steve Mulroy and his opponents:
  
  “_Meanwhile, the three Democratic contenders for district attorney met online in a forum by the Democratic Women of Shelby County. The forum saw the trio agree on the goal of upsetting incumbent Republican prosecutor Amy Weirich and fundamentally changing the office._
  
  _Former federal prosecutor Linda Harris, defense attorney Janika White and former Shelby County Commissioner Steve Mulroy each attempted to distinguish themselves from one another in a setting that was more forum than debate before a group of close to 100 either on Facebook live or by Zoom._“
  
  Daily Memphian Coverage of Steve Mulroy’s Bid for Shelby County District Attorney & Other Races in The Daily Memphian
• Make Justice “Fairer and Safer,” Says Mulroy in D.A. Announcement Jackson Baker of the Memphis Flyer covered Mulroy’s campaign announcement:
  _Flanked by supporters such as County Mayor Lee Harris, former state Representative Jeannie Richardson, and City Councilman Dr. Jeff Warren, Steve Mulroy formally unveiled his bid for the Democratic nomination for District Attorney General before a large audience at the IBEW union headquarters on Madison Avenue on Thursday._
  
  Memphis Flyer Make Justice “Fairer and Safer,” Says Mulroy in D.A. Announcement
• Mulroy Announces Run for Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy announced his candidacy for Shelby County District Attorney on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021 at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 474 Hall in Midtown to an enthusiastic crowd of several dozen people.
  
  Commercial Appeal Mulroy Announces Run for Shelby County District Attorney
• Amy Weirich Prosecutes More Kids As Adults Than The Rest of Tennessee Combined. Nearly All Of Them Are Black. As Weirich continues to violate the rights of Black kids, Shelby County has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene—again.
  
  Memphis Watch Amy Weirich Prosecutes More Kids As Adults Than The Rest of Tennessee Combined. Nearly All Of Them Are Black.
• The Most Misconduct: Memphis Prosecutor Amy Weirich Amy Weirich has served as Shelby County District Attorney General since 2014, but her reign of terror began many years before that as a deputy prosecutor in the same office. Weirich’s record as a prosecutor, and as the top prosecutor responsible for the entire office, is rife with performing, condoning, and encouraging inappropriate behavior and misconduct.
  
  City Watch Research The Most Misconduct: Memphis Prosecutor Amy Weirich
• New organization takes aim at Amy Weirich ahead of district attorney race With 10 months before voters choose the next Shelby County District Attorney, the push to unseat Republican incumbent Amy Weirich heated up Wednesday with the launch of what organizers call a public education campaign about the prosecutor’s controversial record.
  
  MLK50 New organization takes aim at Amy Weirich ahead of district attorney race
• Rate of Juvenile Transfer to Adult Court ‘Appalling’ In the year following the end of federal oversight, black kids are still treated more harshly in one key area of Shelby County Juvenile Court.
  
  Memphis Flyer Rate of Juvenile Transfer to Adult Court ‘Appalling’
• New book highlights contrasting approaches to crime and punishment A new book, "Charged: the New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration," features a section on DA Amy Weirich. It's not a flattering depiction.
  
  Commercial Appeal New book highlights contrasting approaches to crime and punishment
• Amy Weirich: Recidivist In July 2017, the Fair Punishment Project published a report entitled “The Recidivists: New Report on Rates of Prosecutorial Misconduct“. Amy Weirich, the District 30 DA in Shelby County, was one of the District Attorneys singled out for detailed attention.
  
  Memphis Truth Commission Amy Weirich: Recidivist
• Memphis's Juvenile Court Plagued by 'Culture of Intimidation' and 'Blatantly unfair' Practices The Department of Justice is leaving Shelby County, but discrimination against Black children in court continues, a federal monitor says.
  
  The Appeal Memphis's Juvenile Court Plagued by 'Culture of Intimidation' and 'Blatantly unfair' Practices
• Final Report From A Department of Justice Monitor On Shelby County Juvenile Court Citing “a culture of intimidation that undermines due process,” a new report by a Department of Justice monitor on the treatment of African-American youth in Shelby County’s juvenile court challenges the abrupt termination of federal oversight of the court.
  
  Federal Court Monitor letter Final Report From A Department of Justice Monitor On Shelby County Juvenile Court
• Final DOJ report: 'Blatantly unfair' practices persist at Shelby County juvenile court Following the termination of DOJ oversight on Oct. 19, the Board of Commissioners requested final reports from federal monitors. The closure of the agreement followed a year of lobbying by Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael and former Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell to end monitoring.
  
  Commercial Appeal (citing Federal Court Monitor) Final DOJ report: 'Blatantly unfair' practices persist at Shelby County juvenile court
• Department of Justice ends oversight of Shelby County Juvenile Court The U.S. Department of Justice is ending its agreement to monitor the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County and the Shelby County Detention Center, the department announced Friday. The agreement was entered into in 2012 to address an investigation of the operations of the county's juvenile justice system. The investigation found that Shelby County was deficient in about 120 areas, with systemic discrimination against African-American children, unsafe confinement conditions and failure to provide due process to youth appearing for proceedings.
  
  Commercial Appeal Department of Justice ends oversight of Shelby County Juvenile Court
• Report Exposes Persistent Prosecutorial Misconduct Recent research identifying prosecutors with numerous allegations of misconduct in their offices between 2010 and 2015 found that Shelby County, Tennessee, district attorney Amy Weirich had one of the most troubling records.
  
  Equal Justice Initative Report Exposes Persistent Prosecutorial Misconduct
• Weirich’s record as a prosecutor, and as the top prosecutor responsible for the entire office, is rife with performing, condoning, and encouraging inappropriate behavior and misconduct By the time Noura Jackson’s conviction was overturned, she had spent nine years in prison. This type of prosecutorial error is almost never punished.
  
  New York Times Magazine Weirich’s record as a prosecutor, and as the top prosecutor responsible for the entire office, is rife with performing, condoning, and encouraging inappropriate behavior and misconduct
• District Attorney Amy Weirich In The National Headlines For All The Wrong Reasons Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich is defending herself and her department after a story Tuesday in the New York Times. The Times article questions Weirich’s actions regarding the high profile Noura Jackson case. Jackson was convicted of stabbing her mother to death in their East Memphis home. Her conviction was overturned because of prosecutorial misconduct.
  
  ABC24 District Attorney Amy Weirich In The National Headlines For All The Wrong Reasons
• Shelby County DA Amy Weirich ranked highest in Tennessee for misconduct A Harvard Law School project ranked Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich highest in Tennessee for prosecutorial misconduct in a study released Thursday.
  
  Commercial Appeal (citing Harvard Law School Study) Shelby County DA Amy Weirich ranked highest in Tennessee for misconduct
• Report Names Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich #1 For Misconduct Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich tops the list for prosecutorial misconduct in the State of Tennessee, according to a new report.
  
  ABC24 Report Names Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich #1 For Misconduct
• Study ranks Shelby County DA as most overzealous prosecutor Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich engaged in the most misconduct of any prosecutor listed on a study from Fair Punishment Project, a Harvard Law School initiative designed to create a fair and accountable justice system.
  
  Action News 5 Study ranks Shelby County DA as most overzealous prosecutor
• New Information On The Ethics Charges Against Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich ABC 24 interviewed Steve for his take on DA Amy Weirich’s private reprimand by the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility.
  
  ABC 24 New Information On The Ethics Charges Against Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich
• District attorney Amy Weirich takes reprimand in Noura Jackson case Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich on Monday announced she has accepted a private reprimand in the prosecution of Noura Jackson and professional misconduct charges have been dropped ahead of a disciplinary hearing that was scheduled to begin Thursday.
  
  Commercial Appeal District attorney Amy Weirich takes reprimand in Noura Jackson case
• Weirich’s office under fire for multiple violations In one case, defense lawyers uncovered a file marked “Do Not Show to Defense” with Weirich’s initials. Her office at first would not allow them to open it. When they went back later to open it, it has mysteriously vanished.
  
  Memphis Flyer Weirich’s office under fire for multiple violations
• Lawsuit filed against juvenile court judge, magistrates A complaint filed in Shelby County Chancery Court on Tuesday alleges longstanding violations of due process in the juvenile court system of Shelby County.
  
  Action News 5 Lawsuit filed against juvenile court judge, magistrates
• Lawsuit against Shelby County Juvenile Court Petitioners filed this complaint seeking declaratory judgment and injunctive relief and for remedy from damages caused by the Juvenile Court's denial and violations of procedural and substantive due process of law protections guaranteed by the United States and Tennessee Constitutions.
  
  Lawsuit against Juvenile Court Lawsuit against Shelby County Juvenile Court
• Memphis, TN Is Among the Most Dangerous US Metro Areas The Memphis, Tennessee, metro area ranks as the most dangerous city in the United States. More than 18,000 violent crimes were reported in the metro area in 2020, or 1,359 for every 100,000 people — more than three times the U.S. violent crime rate.
  
  24 Wall Street (citing FBI Statistics) Memphis, TN Is Among the Most Dangerous US Metro Areas
• Meet Amy: Overzealous Prosecutor Amy Weirich, District Attorney General for Shelby County, wields tremendous power. Weirich has used that power to put intellectually impaired and likely innocent people on death row, to seek jail for mothers whose children have missed school, and to commit misconduct so egregious that state and federal courts have reversed convictions based on her behavior on multiple occasions.
  
  AmyWeirichFiles.com Meet Amy: Overzealous Prosecutor