The municipal body of Memphis has formed a surveillance group consisting of nine individuals to supervise the activities of the Memphis Police Department. Recently, Memphis city decided to attempt to retract the revised lawsuit put into motion by RowVaughn Wells, the mother of Tyre Nichols. The past Superintendent of Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Marie Feagins, submitted requests for telephone call records belonging to board members for the district schools. Also, the city has made the second move to revoke a lawsuit introduced by the relatives of Tyre Nichols. Furthermore, a man suspected of perpetrating a murder from nearly a decade ago was apprehended by Memphis police on Wednesday.
The team entrusted with overseeing the Memphis Police Department features former law enforcement workers, spiritual leaders, healthcare professionals, academicians, and a community coordinator. The helm of the team is steered by ex-federal Judge Bernice Donald. The inception of this initiative took place following the city’s denial to sign a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice in the wake of its findings that citizens’ civil rights were routinely infringed by Memphis police. Despite the significant role of this task force, limited details have been disseminated to the public so far.
The city has designated several notable individuals to serve on the team. These include ex-Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong, now heading security at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Dr. Audrey Townsel, a seasoned mental health professional who once managed mental health services for the Shelby County jails. Additionally, Daniel Kiel, a professor in constitutional law at The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, and Lucian Dervan, a law professor and the head of criminal justice studies at Belmont University College of Law were selected.
Esteemed church leaders also form part of the team. Pastor Keith Norman of the First Baptist Broad Church, and Pastor Rosalyn Nichols of the Freedom’s Chapel Christian Church are integral members. Additionally, Zayid Saleem, the Shelby County Judicial Commissioner, with previous experience as a legal advisor to the city’s police forces, and Amber Sherman, an influential voice in the Memphis police reform movement have also been appointed.
The role of several team members extends into the Nichols case. Saleem, for one, provided testimony during the federal prosecution of former officers implicated in violating Nichols’ civil rights. Similarly, Judge Donald was initially chosen to mediate the settlement discussions between RowVaughn Wells, the mother of Nichols, the City of Memphis, and various defendants implicated in the substantial civil lawsuit.
In other news, Memphis police recently made a breakthrough in a cold case homicide dating back nearly a decade. A man was apprehended under suspicion of being instrumental in the shooting that occurred in downtown Memphis. The victim, Calvin Wilhite Jr., an Army Sergeant, was discovered with a gunshot wound on May 24, 2015, as per the statement released by MPD. He was rushed to Regional One but could not be saved.
The case went unresolved for a year, ultimately being handed over to MPD’s cold case unit. The situation took a turn recently with the arrest of Timothy Davis, a 33-year-old man now accused of second-degree murder linked to Wilhite Jr.’s death. According to the press conference held on Thursday, Davis’ name emerged following new leads acquired by investigators in the spring of 2024. The source of these leads, whether from a CrimeStoppers tip or substantial evidence, has not been disclosed by the police.
Throughout the press conference, Col. Caroline Beasley of investigative services emphasized the role of a combination of tried-and-true police methods, advanced technological aids, and the cumulative evidence amassed over years in achieving this breakthrough. She stated, ‘Without the undying commitment of the entire Memphis Police Department and our community, from our patrol officers to the homicide division and the cold case department to witnesses sharing videos and calling in with information, this result could not have been possible.’ The investigation is presently ongoing, with authorities still on the lookout for another suspected participant in the shooting.
Authorities also credited the dedicated effort of MPD Deputy Chief of Investigative Services Terence D. Jackson and acknowledged the collaboration of the Shelby County District Attorney’s office in the investigation. Following his recent appointment, District Attorney Steve Mulroy established a cold case unit to bolster police investigations on unsolved cases.
Simultaneously, the Nichols’ case saw further developments as the city challenges the recently amended lawsuit filed against them by RowVaughn Wells, Nichols’ mother. The dismissal attempt aligns with the pattern witnessed before, when the city had also tried to dismiss the complaint once the revised lawsuit was presented by Wells’ lawyers.
The complaint amendment took place at the beginning of January, citing recently unveiled evidence from the federal criminal trial that resulted in the conviction of three former officers on at least one charge. The city has invoked qualified immunity in its new motion to dismiss for both MPD Chief Cerelyn ‘C.J.’ Davis and former Lt. Dewayne Smith.
The city’s motion goes on to argue for the dismissal of the claims against it, indicating that the accusations are not substantive enough to establish liability. The city’s motion specifies: ‘The plaintiff’s complaint suggests these officers acted not according to any official policy, but instead, they exceeded their duties as sworn police officers in their brutal misconduct against Mr. Nichols.’
Following the theme of the initial dismissal motion, the city continues to argue that the implicated officers on the scene during Nichols’ assault had strayed from their professional duties or ‘gone rogue.’ They maintained that the plaintiff’s claim suggesting the entire police department or its chief could have sanctioned the unlawful arrest, assault, and use of excessive force against a compliant individual lacks logical foundation and connection to any training level.