MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Many Memphians are still wondering how the 18-year-old suspect who Memphis Police say was involved in the shooting that left one officer dead was out on bond after a March arrest.
Jaylen Lobley was supposed to be under close supervision and a strict curfew following his arrest for possessing a modified Glock switch while stealing a car.
Lobley was involved in a shooting that led to MPD officer Joseph McKinney’s death, likely from friendly fire, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.
Lobley died after officers returned fire.
“I need to talk to pretrial services on this particular case,” said Shelby County General Session Court Judge Bill Anderson, “and see what they did as far as keeping track of this kid.”
Anderson said he understands why people might not like the decision, but he believes it was the right one by Judicial Commission Christopher Ingram. However, he is still going back over the case to see what might have been missed, in the hope that something like this does not happen again.
“We're always trying to refine our processes,” Anderson said. “We can't change the outcome, unfortunately. But we could certainly try to make it to where it doesn’t happen again.”
That is just part of the judge’s role overseeing the 14 judicial commissioners who are in charge of setting bail for all but the most violent of offenses in Shelby County.
“These are all professionals," Anderson said. "They’ve practiced law for years. Some are public defenders. Some of them are prosecutors.”
The judge explained that by releasing Lobley on his own recognizance, that allowed the court to put special restrictions on him, including weekly call-ins and curfew.
But he knows it is not a perfect system.
“If we had GPS, that would help tremendously,” the judge said. “Now, we have not had the monetary means appropriated to us either through the state or through the county.”
Tennessee state Representative John Gillespie has accused Anderson and other judicial commissioners of not following the spirit of a law that says only judges can set bonds for certain cases.
“That is not being followed right now,” Rep. Gillespie said. “I do not have all the details, but I will say there are people out there, Judge Anderson (and) several judicial commissioners, that are violating the spirit of the law.”
Anderson disagrees.
“He is dead wrong,” Anderson said. “I have reached out to him for an apology, and I expect an apology.”
Anderson will continue overseeing the judicial commissioners until June 30, at which point it will be passed to another judge.
Other responsibilities include sharing the judicial commissioners’ progress with the Shelby County Commission and overseeing any necessary disciplinary measures.