A Shelby County man who has spent more than three decades on death row for a crime he’s always said he did not commit has been granted one more chance to try to prove his innocence.
Racial Bias Taints Death Penalty Cases In Tennessee, National Report Finds
A new national report on racial disparities in the death penalty explores two high-profile cases that are winding their way through the courts here in Tennessee. It highlights the ways Black people are more likely to be discriminated against — from arrest to jury selection to execution.
COVID-19 Clusters In Nashville Prisons Drive Increase In Local Cases
Nashville has seen an uptick in the transmission rate and percentage of people testing positive for the coronavirus, and health officials say outbreaks at prisons located in Davidson County are partially to blame.
Prominent Nashville Faith Group Shifts Its Focus To Police Reform
A prominent faith-based activist group is speaking up against police brutality after a hiatus from criminal justice reform work. Nashville Organized for Action and Hope is using its sway with the mayor and the police department to call for change.
After Review Of Policing In Tennessee, Gov. Lee Proposes More Training, Money For Recruitment
Amid calls to reduce police budgets, Gov. Bill Lee announced Thursday that Tennessee will use coronavirus relief money to increase funding for law enforcement. Lee says he’s setting aside $300,000 for 90 scholarships to the state law enforcement training academy.
Targeted Testing Reveals Coronavirus Clusters At Several Tennessee Prisons
A new round of mass testing at Tennessee prisons has uncovered small outbreaks at several state-run facilities. The Department of Correction says about 400 people who were swabbed last week have come back positive so far.
Nashville Swaps Jail Cells For Mental Health Care At New Behavioral Health Center
Starting this month, a new 60-bed facility will provide immediate mental health care for some people who are arrested in Nashville with a mental illness, rather than locking them in a jail cell. Nationwide protests this summer have strengthened calls to spend less money on jails and more on mental health. The sheriff says he’s […]
Coronavirus Outbreak Sparks Another Round Of COVID-19 Testing In Tennessee Prisons
The Tennessee Department of Correction is launching another round of mass testing after more than 1,100 people tested positive at a private prison this week.
Innocence Project Makes Final Plea For DNA Testing In Pervis Payne Death Penalty Case
Payne has never denied he was there. But his attorneys say testing could prove someone else was there, too. That could be enough to overturn his sentence.
Massive Coronavirus Outbreak At CoreCivic Prison In Middle Tennessee Raises Questions
Another round of mass testing has uncovered nearly 1,000 cases of the coronavirus at a Tennessee prison, with more results coming. CoreCivic, which manages the facility, says nearly all are asymptomatic. But prisoners’ loved ones say they’re hearing a different story.
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