Statement from DA Steve Mulroy Regarding Meeting with Family of Tyre Nichols and Video Release

Earlier today, we met with the family of Tyre Nichols— who have now seen the video. Transparency is a priority for the DA's Office, and we understand the public's desire for immediate release. However, it's important that the release does not compromise the investigation.

We're working with the TBI and FBI to expedite that investigation and are consulting regularly with the City of Memphis about the video's release, which we expect will occur this week or next.

Statement from Shelby County District Attorney’s Office Regarding Tyre Nichols Investigation

Our office is committed to transparency and understands the reasonable request from the public to view the video footage. However, we must ensure we abide by applicable laws and ethical rules so that we do not jeopardize an ongoing investigation or prosecution. We’re working with the appropriate agencies to determine how quickly we can release the video, and will do so as soon as we can. We’ll be sure to update the public throughout this process.

Statement from Shelby County District Attorney’s Office Regarding Gary Taylor’s Case

We’ve received several inquiries regarding the case of Gary Taylor, who was charged with First Degree Murder and due to a process error recently released on his own recognizance pending trial. The DA’s Office played no role in the decision to release him. Per longstanding procedure, the judicial commissioner made an initial bond decision to set “no bond.” Subsequently, a process error resulted in Mr. Taylor’s release. The matter never got to the point where a prosecutor was involved in the bond decision.

It is important to note that Taylor’s release was a mistake and not typical. The error had nothing to do with bail reform generally or the new bail procedure set to start in February. Someone charged with First Degree Murder would not ordinarily be released on his own recognizance.

We understand that a warrant was issued soon after, that the defendant showed up for his court date today, and is now in custody with no bond. The DA’s office will vigorously pursue the prosecution of this case, and will also consult with other officials in an effort to prevent mistakes like this from recurring.

DA Mulroy Delivers 100-Day Address

Statement from Shelby County DA's Office Regarding Whitehaven Gold Club Incident

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office is looking into the incident between Mr. Mark Coleman and Wesley Caldwell that took place at a Whitehaven golf club on Dec. 3. DA Mulroy has consulted with NAACP Memphis Branch President Van Turner regarding the organization’s released statement calling for an upgrade in Mr. Caldwell’s charges.

DA Mulroy understands the concern of Mr. Coleman’s family, friends, and the community and is looking into the matter to determine if the emerging facts of the case align with Mr. Caldwell’s current charge and bond status. 

As this is an ongoing investigation, this is the only information we can provide at this time.

###

Shelby County Man Released After Serving 25 Years of a 162-Year Sentence

Convicted of only nonviolent theft and forgery charges, Judge Paula Skahan and the SCDAG’s Office deemed the 162-year sentence excessive. 

Shelby County, TN – (December 13, 2022) – After serving 25 years of a 162-year sentence, a Memphis man will now be released. This comes after Judge Paula Skahan and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office reviewed and reopened Courtney Anderson’s case.   

In the late 1990s, Anderson went to jail and was later convicted of multiple counts of theft and forgery charges.  In 2000, the trial sentenced Anderson to 162 years, 11 months, and 29 days.  As a repeat offender, the judge gave the maximum amount of time on each conviction and required the sentences to be served consecutive to each other.

The defendant attempted to appeal his convictions based on excessive sentencing, but the appellate court denied his appeals for procedural reasons, such as not attaching the correct transcripts. 

In April 2022, the defendant filed a pro se motion in Criminal court to “correct an illegal sentence.”  Judge Paula Skahan reviewed the motion and brought the situation to the attention of the SCDAG’s office.  Judge Skahan believed the sentence was technically a

“legal” sentence, but was excessive.  She then requested the SCDAG’s office to investigate what, if anything, could be done.  The SCDAG’s office, along with defense counsel, researched and found a legal ground for reopening the case. 

Tuesday, Judge Skahan reduced Anderson’s sentence to 15 years, an effective time-served sentence.

“This was clearly an excessive sentence, the kind of overreaction that sows distrust in our system and doesn’t make us safer, “said Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. “I’m pleased to have helped in correcting this injustice. It’s an illustration of the good that reform prosecutors can do.”

Anderson, who was brought to tears when receiving the modified sentence, is now 54-years-old. He explained to the judge that he committed the crimes 25 years ago because of a cocaine addiction but has been clean for decades. Anderson plans to reside in Virginia with his sister and said he looks forward to enjoying the holidays with family.

###

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, led by DA Steve Mulroy, serves more than 920,000 Memphis and Shelby County residents. DA Mulroy and his team of prosecutors are committed to a safer and fairer Shelby County. Learn more about the work of the SCDAG’s office by visiting scdag.com.

SCDAG Office Hires Veteran Defense Attorney McClusky to Head Conviction Review Unit

Oct. 18, 2022 – The Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office has hired veteran defense attorney Lorna McClusky to head the office’s new conviction review unit, said Shelby County D.A. General Steve Mulroy.

The new unit, dubbed the Post-Conviction Justice Unit, will review prior cases for possible errors and false convictions. The Unit will also examine sentences that have already been handed down to assess whether or not those sentences were appropriate, taking into account changes in the law.

Mrs. McClusky graduated from the University Of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1994. In 1998 she became a member of the Massey McClusky Law Firm, where she rose to managing partner. She has nearly three decades of experience practicing criminal law, including extensive work on capital cases. “This is an epochal shift for the justice system of Shelby County,” said Mrs. McClusky. “We are looking forward to our Unit advancing DA Mulroy's vision of not merely remedying false convictions, but of creating a stronger legal system built on fairness.”

“Mrs. McClusky brings to the office not only decades of legal experience, but also a proven record of fighting for fairness in the criminal justice system,” said DA Mulroy. “This is a crucial step in getting the new unit up and running, and ensuring that we not only remedy false convictions, but potentially bring to justice the actual perpetrator of the crime in these cases where the wrong person was convicted.”

Focusing On What Works With Juvenile Justice

Dear friends,

As of last week, I’ve been your District Attorney for just over a month – a period of time that has seen this community tested and tried in ways that were literally unthinkable during the campaign.

Yet I have seen firsthand this community’s resilience, its hope, and its care for each other. I want to thank you for the many messages of support and prayerful consideration that I have received. As we move forward, please continue to pray for our partners in law enforcement and victims of violent crime everywhere.

New Hires. Last week, I was very happy to announce that Gerald Skahan and Haden Lawyer have joined our staff. Please join me in welcoming them to the District Attorney’s office.More hires will be announced soon, and we are still hiring – please spread the word.

Working Session On Youth Crime. The elections of both Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon and myself clearly indicated that the community is ready for a different approach to juvenile justice. To that end , the two of us recently co-sponsored a Work Session on Youth Crimes. We met experts from here in Shelby County and around the country to discuss various proven prevention and intervention strategies.

We know that the most important thing we can do is reduce the likelihood of any child’s first involvement with the justice system. The data is very clear that any arrest, conviction, and detention makes it vastly more likely that a child will reoffend.

There are a few specific things we’re going to begin working on right away:

• Enhance restorative justice. This practice is about centering victims and making our community whole after crime has been committed. It has reduced repeat offender rates in Nashville and other areas. Properly used, it can reduce recidivism in a humane and cost-efficient way.

• Ask our partners in the state government to fund the kind prevention and intervention strategies that we know will work. This includes everything from ensuring that kids in juvenile custody get a real education to more employment opportunities for children to more robust counseling and therapy services for children and their families, especially after release from incarceration.

• Utilize the right kind of blended sentencing. Simply put, this policy would allow some juvenile offenders to avoid transfer into adult prisons so that they can remain closer to their families. Again, this is about making structural investments that reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

All of the ideas we’ve mentioned here can be done well, or they can be done poorly. We intend to do them well, which means they will take time and they will take sustained investment. They will also take accountability, which is what we now ask of the community – help us make sure we get this work right and help us make sure that we have the resources we need to do what families in Shelby County need us to do.

Working Groups Formed. Improving juvenile justice is one of the topics that will be discussed during the next phase of my transition process. I’ve asked my team to broaden the dialogue about understanding what we need to do and can do with regard to improving racial equity, post-conviction justice, restorative justice, and juvenile justice. Members of the team will be leading Working Groups over the next few months to develop these ideas and come back to me with clear recommendations from the community. Please visit stevemulroyforda.com/join-us if you want to get involved in one of these groups.

An important part of my job is communicating with the public as much as I can about what your District Attorney’s office is doing to keep you safe and ensure equal justice for all. Recently, I had the chance to be interviewed on the Just City for their podcast, The Permanent Record, as well as appear on WKNO-TV’s program, Behind The Headlines. I hope you’ll check them out.

Stay safe and thank you for your support,

Steve Mulroy

District Attorney

Mulroy Transition Team Announces New Working Groups to Advise on Criminal Justice Priorities

Memphis, TN - (October 10, 2022) - A bit more than a month into his tenure as Shelby County’s top law enforcement officer, District Attorney Steve Mulroy’s transition effort is into a new phase.

Mulroy today announced the formation of four distinct working groups, each of which will be led by a member of the transition and focused on a specific policy topic that is central to his agenda.

“I’ve asked members of my team to broaden their dialogue with our community about what can be done to improve our criminal justice system,” said Mulroy. “My unconditional priority is protecting the public from violent crime. In order to do that, we need to restore public trust in the system’s fairness. The Working Groups will develop recommendations toward that end.”

The four working groups and their respective leaders are:

Disproportionate Minority Contact, Professor Demetria Frank, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, University of Memphis Law School

Post-conviction Justice, William Arnold, Director of the Tennessee Office of Reentry,exoneree

Restorative Justice, Mike Carpenter, former Shelby County Commissioner, Director Of Marketing And Development at My Cup of Tea

Juvenile Justice, Mike Working, founder, Working Law Firm

The working groups will engage local and national leaders on these issues and develop a set of recommendations for the District Attorney, who will share them with the public later this year.

For more information or to get involved, visit stevemulroyforda.com/join-us if you want to get involved in one of these groups.

Shelby County District Attorney Mulroy and Memphis Police Chief Davis Announce Collaborative Cold Case Unit

Sept. 30, 2022 – Shelby County Dist. Atty. Steve Mulroy and Memphis Police Department Chief C.J. Davis today unveiled plans for a collaborative Cold Case Unit. This Unit will aid law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of unsolved homicide and violent sexual assault cases.

According to MPD, cases are typically investigated by the original detective until all known leads have been exhausted. After one year with no new investigative leads, a case may be reviewed and deemed to be cold.

“Our Office is excited to announce the formation of the Cold Case Unit,” said DA Mulroy. “We are ready to get to work with MPD to bring closure to these victims’ loved ones who have waited for far too long. These offenders are still out on the street potentially committing many more crimes, so prosecuting them can prevent crimes down the road.”

Once the Cold Case Unit is in operation, MPD will share cold case files with the Unit, and Assistant District Attorneys will evaluate the files using a checklist to determine solvability. SCDAG investigators will follow up on the cases deemed solvable. In cases where warrants could not be served on defendants, SCDAG investigators will assist in locating these defendants so that they can be prosecuted.

“The Memphis Police Department supports any efforts that will assist in bringing long awaited justice to the many families that have been impacted. This effort may be fruitful and help identify suspects who have committed egregious crimes against members of our community,” said Chief Davis.

The Cold Case Unit expects to receive their first cases to review as early as the end of next week. Eventually, the Cold Case Unit aims to review up to 200 cases per year.

If you have information about a cold case, please contact the Memphis Police Department’s Cold Case Unit at 901-636-COLD (2653) or you can email at ColdCase@memphistn.gov. You can also submit information anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH (2274).

Ezekiel Kelly Indicted in Deaths of Two More Victims of September 7th Shooting Spree

Sept. 28, 2022 – Ezekiel Kelly has been indicted on 26 additional charges related to the September 7th shooting spree, including two homicides, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Steve Mulroy.

A grand jury indicted 19-year-old Ezekiel Kelly on two counts of First-Degree Murder in the shooting deaths of Richard Clark and Allison Parker, as well as 24 additional charges including 5 counts of Reckless Endangerment, 4 counts of Criminal Attempt First-Degree Murder, and Commission of an Act of Terrorism.

“This shooting spree terrorized the community,” said Mulroy. “We will do all we can to see that justice is done.”

He was previously indicted on one count of First-Degree Murder in the shooting death of Dewayne Tunstall. He is being held in the Shelby County Jail without bond.

The case is being handled by Chief Prosecutor Chris Lareau and Assistant District Attorneys Jimmy Thomas, Forrest Edwards, and Brad Reasonover of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 3 which prosecutes cases in General Sessions Division 11 and Criminal Court Division 3.

Man Indicted in Deaths of Girlfriend, Baby

Sept. 15, 2022 – A Cordova man accused of killing his girlfriend and then throwing their 2-day-old daughter into the Mississippi River earlier this year has been indicted in their deaths, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Steve Mulroy.

A grand jury indicted 25-year-old Brandon Isabelle on two counts of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and neglect, and aggravated kidnapping. He is being held in the Shelby County Jail without bond.

The body of infant Kennedy Hoyle was never found despite a five-day search by authorities in frigid temperatures along the Mississippi River at the north end of Mud Island.

On the evening of Feb. 1, 2022, police discovered an abandoned car with a broken window at Levi Road and Sedgewick Street in Whitehaven. Nearby they found the body of Danielle Hoyle, 27, who had been shot to death.

Relatives said she had been on the way to meet with Isabelle and that she had their newborn baby with her in a car seat. The baby was missing, however, and when police located and questioned Isabelle, who was married, he told them he had thrown her in the river.

The case is being handled by Chief Prosecutor Eric Christensen and Asst. Dist. Atty. Dru Carpenter of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit which prosecutes cases involving sexual and physical abuse of child victims, elder abuse and vulnerable adult abuse.

The SVU was created as an expansion of the multi-agency Child Protection Investigative Team known as CPIT.

Cousins Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms for Convictions in North Memphis Murder

Aug. 28, 2022 – Two cousins convicted earlier this year in the 2018 shooting death of a 27-year-old man they confronted outside of a North Memphis convenience store were given lengthy prison sentences Friday, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee sentenced 44-year-old Deonta Baskin to life in prison without the possibility for parole for his first-degree conviction and to an additional 30 years as a convicted felon with a firearm.

Baskin was convicted in 2007 in an unrelated attempted murder case for which he served 10 years of a 24-year sentence. He was paroled in 2017, a year before he was arrested in the North Memphis murder.

The judge also sentenced Marcus Green, 43, to life in prison for first-degree murder, 60 years for attempted first-degree murder, 30 years for convicted felon with a firearm, and 15 years for employment of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony.

Following a weeklong trial in July, the cousins were convicted of killing 27-year-old Marceles Scurlock in the late afternoon of May 23, 2018, after they told Scurlock to get off their street when they saw him at a store in the 1600 block of Oakwood Street.

Green also fired at the victim’s girlfriend as she ran inside the store for safety.

Video surveillance showed the three men arguing and Scurlock trying to flee. Baskin grabbed and held him as Green punched Scurlock in the head and pistol whipped him.

Baskin told police that he began firing numerous times when he was shot in the side, apparently by accident by his cousin Green. The video showed Scurlock fall in the street and Baskin firing more shots as he walked away.

Scurlock, who was struck 15 times, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The case was handled by Chief Prosecutor Alanda Dwyer and by Asst. Dist. Atty. Jimmy Thomas of the District Attorney’s Special Prosecution Unit which seeks maximum sentencing for repeat felony offenders.

Officers Justified in 3 Fatal Shooting Incidents in 2021, DA Announces

Aug. 26, 2022 – No criminal charges will be filed against law enforcement officers involved in three separate fatal shooting incidents of fleeing felons that occurred last year, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

In two incidents officers were struck or were nearly struck by the suspects’ vehicles, while in the third an officer was shot in the chest but the bullet was stopped by his protective vest.

The decisions were based on facts, evidence, and statements compiled in comprehensive reports by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Response Team. The reports then were examined and discussed by the DA’s Officer Involved Death Review Team consisting of Gen. Weirich and five senior prosecuting attorneys.

Before decisions are released, the involved law enforcement agencies are notified, the DA meets with the families of the deceased, and redactions are made to the TBI reports which include thousands of pages and hundreds of photographs.

The TBI reports in each case are available at SCDAG.

The cases include:

o the shooting of Antonio Jackson, 26, on Aug. 16, 2021, at the Robinhood Apartments by a lieutenant with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office who was trying to arrest Jackson in a narcotics investigation as he sat in his parked car. Instead of surrendering, Jackson drove off, striking the officer with his car. The officer fired two shots before he was knocked to the ground. One shot hit Jackson in the chest, killing him. Inside the car officers found a stolen pistol, marijuana, cocaine and fentanyl. He had $1,900 in his pockets.

o the shooting of Kayla Lucas, 25, by a Memphis police officer on Dec. 15, 2021, outside a McDonald’s Restaurant at 3120 S. Third St. where she was in the drive-thru line in a stolen car. As the uniformed officer approached with his weapon drawn, Lucas put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated, striking the driver’s door of an MPD unit as a second officer was exiting. As that officer jumped back inside to avoid being crushed, a third officer slipped and fell while trying to avoid the suspect’s car as it moved toward him. The first officer fired shots at the driver through the car’s windshield, striking Lucas once in the side. She died at the scene.

o the shootings of Terrance Dogan, 27, and John Henry Taylor, 18, on Dec. 16, 2021, by an Arkansas State Trooper following a high-speed chase into Memphis that ended on West McLemore at I-55. Dogan, who was wanted on violent felony warrants out of South Carolina, fired multiple rounds as he drove past and in front of the trooper, hitting the officer in the center of the chest. His vest stopped the bullet and the trooper fired his duty rifle through his own windshield, striking the fleeing vehicle multiple times. The suspect’s vehicle came to a stop and, after a period of surveillance, Memphis police officers in an armored vehicle found Dogan and Taylor dead. Each had been shot once.

The TBI reports and photographs posted on the District Attorney’s website have been redacted in accordance with Tennessee law and privacy standards. If the officer or officers involved in the death are not charged with a crime, their name or names also will be redacted.

In 2015, DA Weirich, the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and the TBI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining a new procedure in which officer-involved death investigations are conducted.

Under the MOU, the DA is notified immediately when an individual dies at the hands of law enforcement or dies while in the custody of law enforcement, if warranted by the circumstances. The DA, in turn, notifies the TBI and asks them to conduct an investigation.

When the TBI report is completed, it is sent to the DA who will make a decision whether criminal charges should be filed.

DA Weirich initially had to seek permission from Chancery Court to release the reports to the public since TBI investigative files at that time were confidential under state law.

In 2017, however, the state legislature approved a bill allowing TBI investigative records on officer-involved deaths to be made public after the investigation and prosecution are completed.

Man Who Stabbed Self While Killing Acquaintance Indicted on Murder Count

Aug. 26, 2022 – An Orange Mound man who told police he walked to the home of an acquaintance in April and stabbed him for allegedly stealing his car was indicted Thursday on a count of first-degree murder, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

Defendant Stephen S. Robinson, 24, is being held without bond in the Shelby County Jail.

Investigators said that around 11 a.m. on April 16 this year Robinson walked to the home of 45-year-old Detrick Hammer in the 700 block of Hamilton St. after stopping at an AutoZone store to buy two knives.

Robinson then went into the residence and began stabbing Hammer, who staggered from his bed and ran to his driveway while Robinson chased and continued to stab him.

Hammer collapsed against a fence and was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived a short time later.

Police were called a short time later to Robinson’s residence in the 2300 block of Boyle Ave., about a mile south of Hammer’s residence, where they found Robinson covered in blood.

He told police he cut himself on the hands and on his right thigh while he was stabbing Robinson for stealing his car. Police recovered two knives from him, including one that had blood on it.

Robinson’s car was not recovered.

The case is being handled by Chief Prosecutor Carrie Bush of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 4 which prosecutes cases in General Sessions Division 12 and in Criminal Court Division 4.

Handyman Convicted in Rape of Neighbor

     Aug. 22, 2022 – A Fox Meadows man was convicted Friday of raping an 81-year-old woman who lived in the same area and who had previously hired him to do yardwork and other chores, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

    A Criminal Court jury convicted Matthew James Smith, 39, on felony counts of aggravated rape, robbery, aggravated burglary, and theft over $10,000. He will be sentenced next month by Judge Chris Craft.

    The assault occurred around 2 a.m. on Feb. 16, 2020, in the 3000 block of Flint Drive when a man identified as Smith entered the woman’s bedroom and raped her, breaking two of her ribs in the process.

    Smith also removed two televisions which he loaded into the victim’s Jeep Cherokee and drove away. The vehicle and TVs were found later less than a mile away and just three house from Smith’s residence.

    Investigators found a jacket with Smith’s wallet, which contained his state ID, which was left behind in the victim’s home. Her husband said he recognized a man he knew as “Matthew” grab their car keys as he ran out of the house to the garage and drive away in their car.

    Smith was arrested later that same day.

    The case was handled by Asst. Dist. Atty. Jose Leon of the Special Prosecution Unit and by Asst. Dist. Atty. Gavin Smith of the Special Victim’s Unit.

Man Convicted in Robbery, Homicide

Aug. 22, 2022 – A 26-year-old man was convicted Friday in a 2017 robbery and shooting at a South Memphis home where one man was killed and his father was critically injured, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

During the trial, the Criminal Court jury heard the recorded testimony of a witness who survived the attack, but later died from Covid.

Defendant Shundarius Turner, 26, was convicted on felony counts of especially aggravated robbery, reckless homicide, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. He will be sentenced later.

A codefendant, Narquese White, also 26, was acquitted on all counts.

The incident occurred on July 18, 2017, when two men went to a residence in the 1400 block of Wilson St. near South Parkway East to rob Dontavious Craigen of marijuana and cash.

Shots were fired and Craigen, 21, was struck multiple times. He collapsed in the driveway where he was pronounced dead a short time later. When Craigen’s 43-year-old father tried to intervene, he too was shot multiple times, including in both hands, his arm and his leg.

The son’s girlfriend and two children also were in the house, but were not injured. She died later from Covid, but her recorded account of the shooting was played during the trial.

The case was handled by Asst. Dist. Attys. Joseph Griffith and Austin Scofield of the District Attorney’s Crime Strategies & Narcotics Prosecution Unit (CSNPU) which prosecutes cases in General Sessions Division 8 (Drug Court) and in Criminal Court Division 6.

Man Convicted of Robbing Victim, then Shooting Her in the Foot

Aug. 21, 2022 – A 29-year-old man was convicted Friday of robbing a woman of cash and cell phones in his North Shelby County home and then shooting her in the foot, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

A Criminal Court jury convicted Edward Lee Shelton on the felony count of especially aggravated robbery which involves a deadly weapon and serious bodily injury. Shelton is in custody and is set to be sentenced next month.

The incident occurred on Oct. 20, 2018, when the victim, 27, went to a residence on Hunters Glen Cove in the Raleigh-Egypt area of North Memphis. She initially told sheriff’s detectives she had gone there to sell a phone, but then acknowledged that her intent was to purchase a small amount of marijuana.

When she arrived at the home, she said, one man ordered her to drop her pants and give him everything she had. When the woman protested, another man approached her from behind and began reaching into her pockets.

As she continued to argue, the second man shot her in the right foot. She said they took a cell phone and $130 from her, then went outside and rummaged through her car.

She said she managed to get into the driver’s seat and drive herself to a hospital. Sheriff’s detectives went to the residence where they arrested Shelton and another man. The victim picked him out of a photospread, but could not identify the second suspect.

The case was handled by Chief Prosecutor Carrie Bush and Senior Felony Asst. Sarah Poe of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 4 which prosecutes cases in General Sessions Division 12 and in Criminal Court Division 4.

Man Convicted of Killing Two Women

Aug. 19, 2022 – A Memphis man who arranged a date with two women on line and then shot them both was convicted Friday on two counts of first-degree murder, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

A Criminal Court jury convicted 26-year-old Darrin Walker after a five-day trial, with both counts carrying life sentences. He will learn on Sept. 23 whether the sentences will be concurrent or consecutive.

The shooting incidents occurred shortly before 3 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2020, inside a vehicle parked at Bethay Drive and Belmont Run Cove in southeast Shelby County when Walker became angry and began shooting.

Sheriff’s detectives found Destiny Wilkins, 25, in the street suffering from several gunshot wounds. She told officers a man, later identified as Walker, shot her and a friend, and then forced her out of the car.

She said Walker drove off with her wounded friend, Nayeli ‘Courtney’ Love, 23, still in the back seat. The car was found abandoned later about two miles west at Lake Valey Drive and Barkshire Drive, a block from Walker’s residence.

Love was found dead in the back seat from multiple gunshots. Wilkins later died from her multiple wounds at a hospital.

Detectives used information from cell phones and neighborhood video to link Walker to the murders. He was arrested about 10 days later. Walker was on diversion-probation for a previous kidnapping conviction at the time of the murders.

The case this week was handled by Chief Prosecutor Theresa McCusker and Felony Asst. Melissa Harris of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 1 which prosecutes cases in General Sessions Division 7 (Veterans Court) and in Criminal Court Division 1.

Frayser Rapist Sentenced to 25 Years

Aug. 12, 2022 – A 28-year-old man convicted earlier this year of sexually assaulting a Frayser woman as she was returning home from work in 2017 was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

The sentence for defendant Michael M. Cook Jr. is to be without parole.

In March of this year, a Criminal Court jury deliberated just 10 minutes before convicting Cook on one count of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated kidnapping.

The woman testified that Cook abducted her in the driveway of her home around 6 a.m. on Aug. 20, 2017, showing her a gun on his hip and forcing her to accompany him to a nearby vacant house.

He raped her there and kept the condom that he used, putting it in his pocket. Cook then put the gun to her head and told her to count to 200 before she moved, or that he would come back and kill her.

Hours later, police recovered a car near the crime scene that had been stolen a block from the defendant’s home. Inside the car they found items the victim had described her rapist wearing, including a black ski mask, a black thermal hoodie and black jeans.

The condom also was found in the car, and testing by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation lab showed a positive match for both the victim’s and the defendant’s DNA on the condom.

The case was prosecuted by Asst. Dist. Attys. Devon Dennis and Gavin Smith of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit (SVU) which handles cases involving rape, child sexual abuse, severe physical abuse of children, elder abuse, and vulnerable-adult abuse.