MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Bill Lee said people arrested by task force are “violent criminals and known gang members.” Data show that’s not true.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee speaks during a Tuesday morning press conference with Memphis Mayor Paul Young at the temporary ...
MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Shelby County officials sue Gov. Bill Lee over National Guard deployment

Gov. Bill Lee in 2023. Photo by Andrea Morales / MLK50 This story has been republished with permission from Tennessee Lookout ...
MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Memphis tightens scrutiny on the unhoused as task force arrives, but offers no funding to help them find shelter

A person and their belongings rest on a bench in Civic Center Plaza. Photo by Andrea Morales/MLK50 Rick was charging his ...
MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

State Rep. Justin J. Pearson to challenge U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen

State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, seen here in a 2023 constituent meeting at the Tennessee State Capitol, announced his intention ...
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How bail works in Memphis — and why reform could ease jail overcrowding

A sign reading "People Cannot Get Well in a Cell" is waved outside the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center during an Aug. 11 protest of the conditions inside the Shelby County Jail. Photo by Kevin ...
MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Grassroots Memphis food pantry reports spike in need as federal agents flood city

The Collective Good Immigrant Pantry, a project of Indivisible Memphis, has seen a spike in requests for food since a federal law enforcement task force ...
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Memphis task force using TN ‘buffer law,’ preventing up-close recording of police activity

Two men wearing a U.S. Marshal and FBI vest as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force. Photo by John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout This story has been republished with permission from Tennessee Lookout.