MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As 2023 comes to an end, ABC24 is taking a look back at the turbulent and triumphant moments from across the Mid-South.
The Memphis region repeatedly made national headlines, often times for unfortunate reasons. Still throughout the year, communities banded together to rise from the ashes while, in many cases, doing critical work to hold the powerful accountable.
Here are some of the most notable stories from across the Memphis area in 2023:
The death of Tyre Nichols
The attention of the world first focused its eyes on Memphis in early 2023, after a traffic stop in January by the now disbanded MPD Scorpion Unit, resulted in the death of Tyre Nichols.
“Our lives will never be the same again,” said Keyana Dixon, Tyre's Sister during a protest.
Nichols death sent shockwaves throughout the country, leading to demonstrations, law enforcement reform discussions, and second degree murder charges against the now former MPD officers.
“We are committed to justice for Tyre, until the very end,” said Paul Hagerman, Shelby County Assistant DA in November.
One of the biggest things communities will be keeping an eye out for in 2024 will be the state and federal trials for the former MPD officers charged in Nichols' death. The federal trial will start in May, followed by the state trial in August.
Nearly a year after Nichols' death, police documents revealed a seventh Memphis Police officer was fired for his actions the night of Jan. 7, 2023.
According to a Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) decertification request filed by Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis, officer Adrian Blakes was fired by Memphis Police on Feb. 23, 2023, for his actions on Jan. 7, the night Tyre Nichols was beaten.
Additionally, personnel records that were unveiled in December revealed that Demetrius Haley — one of the former Memphis police officers charged in the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols — held some policy violations in a prison guard job before he was an MPD officer and faced accusations of excessive force that his department deemed unfounded or unsubstantiated at the time.
While working as a corrections officer, Haley was accused of excessive force for using a chemical spray on inmate Cordarlrius Sledge in 2015, but an investigation found no violations of the department’s use of force policies and the allegations were unsubstantiated.
The records showed that Sledge was treated for a fractured right temporal bone and perforated ear drum and the incident prompted 34 inmates — the entire cellblock — to sign a letter to the corrections director asking for a response to the alleged abuse.
Sledge later filed a lawsuit against Haley and two other correctional officers, accusing Haley and another officer of punching him, and a third of slamming his head into the floor. The lawsuit was dismissed in federal court when a judge ruled in a summary judgment in favor of the officers over procedural issues.
Attorneys for four of the former officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols were in court early December as the overall case moves closer to trial.
Tadarrius Bean, Justin, Smith, Demetrius Haley and Emmitt Martin have pleaded not guilty to state charges of second-degree murder, assault, official misconduct, and kidnapping. They also face federal charges alleging they used excessive force and lied about the beating.
During the Dec. 4, 2023, hearing, both the defense council and the state discussed the evidence they were able to review in the case. The attorneys said each defendant received more than 300 hours of audio and video evidence to look over as part of the discovery process.
A motion filing deadline was set for Feb. 2, 2024. The trial remains set for Aug. 12, 2024, on the state charges. A trial date is set for May 6, 2024, on the federal charges.
A fifth former officer charged in the case, Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty in early November to federal charges of excessive force and obstruction of justice. Shelby County D.A. Steve Mulroy said Mills also reached deal with the state to plead guilty to charges of second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and official misconduct. A 15-year sentencing recommendation would cover both the federal and state cases.
Ja Morant sees controversy, returns to court
In 2023, the NBA would end up suspending Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant for 25 games after he was seen flashing a gun on Instagram Live — twice.
During a Memphis Grizzlies-Indiana Pacers game in January, Morant and some of his teammates got into an on-court altercation with members of the Pacers. Morant's friend Davonte Pack, sitting courtside, was escorted out of the arena after he got into a verbal altercation with Pacers' players on the court. He received a year-long ban from FedEx Forum.
After the game, members of the Pacers told The Athletic that Morant entered a van in the FedEx Forum garage. They say that same van trained a red-laser on members of the team as it left the garage. The Pacers feared the laser was attached to a gun.
The NBA investigated the incident and could not corroborate that a gun was present.
In March, after a road loss to the Denver Nuggets, Morant went live on Instagram inside a Denver area nightclub named Shotgun Willie's. During the live video, Morant was seen flashing a gun.
Morant would later apologize and received a team-issued suspension where he missed five games.
The NBA later issued their own suspension of eight games without pay for "conduct detrimental to the league" and backdated it to include games Morant already missed.
Two months later, Morant was seen flashing a gun on Instagram Live a second time.
In the second instance, Morant appears to be in a stationary car with Pack, who is broadcasting live. Pack pans the camera to Morant rapping along to a song before panning back to himself.
Pack pans the camera to Morant a second time and the Grizzlies point guard can be seen waving a gun briefly before Pack drops the camera.
The Grizzlies suspended Morant from all team activities. The NBA later issued a 25-game suspension for the 2024 season.
By the end of the year, Morant's 25-game suspension stemming from his social media antics seemed to end as a new chapter of his basketball career began in historic fashion. Never in NBA history had a player returned from an absence as long as 25 games and scored as many points as Morant did when the Grizzlies defeated the Pelicans 115-113 on Dec. 20.
Still, Morant took a stand in the courtroom a week before his return to the basketball court following his NBA suspension due to the ongoing lawsuit in which he is accused of assaulting then-17-year-old Joshua Holloway during a pickup game at Morant's home.
The testimonies began the days-long process as legal teams wait for Judge Carol Chumney to decide if Morant is immune from liability. In December, new details of what happened during the July 26, 2022, basketball game were brought to light.
“All the players on the court pretty much said, 'Come on man, let’s play.' So, I picked the ball up, gave him a chest pass, and he fired the ball right back at me," said Morant. "But before that, everything was all good."
Before the chest pass, Morant said Holloway rolled the ball towards Morant's feet, which the Grizzlies star called disrespectful.
Carter said Holloway then proceeded to "square-up" and got in a stance, balling up his hands in front of Morant, which is why Morant punched Holloway in self-defense.
Keenan Carter, who represents Morant, said this case comes down to credibility. In his opening statement, Carter claimed the point guard is protected under Tennessee's "Stand Your Ground Law."
Carter also claimed the story Holloway told to authorities and stated in the lawsuit about what happened during the basketball game has changed several times.
"He stands alone. 11 other people, including the plaintiff's teammate and childhood coach, stand with Mr. Morant," said Carter.
Still, Rebecca Adelman, representing Holloway, disputed the claims, saying Morant is a "hero-worshipped" NBA superstar who suffers from a lack of self-control and claiming he receives special treatment because of his talent and fame.
Referring to the NBA player's support network as a "fix-it team" and "Team Morant," Adelman said her client "lacks the influence and the affluence of this entire team."
The judge will decide if Morant's lawyers have fairly raised the self-defense argument. If she rules that they did, then Holloway's lawyers will have to prove that Morant can still be held liable.
The death of Lisa Marie Presley
The first month of the year also included the death and memorial of Lisa Marie Presley, just days after she spoke at Graceland on her father's birthday.
“No parent should outlive a child ever,” one Elvis fan told ABC24.
Alanis Morrissette, Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses and Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins all sang tributes during the memorial service for Lisa Marie Presley.
Lisa Marie became the sole heir of the Elvis Presley Trust, which — along with Elvis Presley Enterprises — managed Graceland and other assets until she sold her majority interest in 2005. She retained ownership of the mansion itself, the 13 acres around it and items inside the home.
She is survived by her mother, Priscilla Presley, and three children.
Ice storms strike Memphis
2023 was also defined by several natural disasters including ice storms that struck the Mid-South in late January.
“It was dangerous, I ain’t gonna lie, we’ve seen wrecks, we’ve seen people sliding,” said Chase Johston.
Several Mid-South communities in Arkansas and Tennessee began a lengthy rebuilding and recovery process, after several tornadoes destroyed area schools and homes.
"What can be replaced don't fear, we'll get it done and we'll get it done together," said Jan Hensley, Covington Mayor in April.
Later, summer storms across Shelby County again highlighted the challenges with MLGW decades old infrastructure.
“I’m constantly getting flooded, I’m constantly getting power outages,” said Dwayne McCray, Business Owner.
Other customers demanded answers and accountability later in the year, after the Memphis City Council approved an electric rate hike.
“We are here three years later in arguably a worse position,” said Keshaun Pearson, Memphis Community Against Pollution President, “We are still behind on tree-trimming.”
MPD officer Geoffrey Redd killed at East Memphis Library
In February, a Memphis Police officer was shot at an East Memphis library while responding to a trespassing complaint, according to the Memphis Police Department (MPD).
Officers were called to the library Feb. 2 and encountered a man who had been the subject of a trespassing call in the same neighborhood, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Keli McAlister said.
The TBI said the man had started a confrontation with another person inside the library, and when two officers attempted to talk with him, he pulled out a weapon and shot one of them.
The TBI also confirmed that the other officer returned fire, shooting and killing Torence Jackson Jr., 28, of Indianapolis.
Though the community rallied for 15 days for 49-year-old Geoffrey Redd's recovery, the former marine died in the hospital, according to MPD.
There were employees and patrons inside the library at the time of the shooting, but no one else was injured, McAlister said.
City of Memphis officials unveiled a new sign in December, officially renaming the Poplar-White Station Library to the "Officer Geoffrey Redd Library" in his honor. He had served with Memphis Police since 2008.
The Mid-South saw deadly damaging storms
As April 2023 began, multiple tornado watches and warnings were issued for parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi as several tornadoes were visually confirmed by trained spotters.
Nine people died after storms damaged McNairy County, Tennessee on March 31, according to the McNairy County Sheriff's Office. The tornado slammed the towns of Bethel Springs and Adamsville just after 11 p.m., hours after a weaker tornado touched down in the county.
Much of the Mid-South was under a rare level 5 out of 5 risk for severe weather during the tragic event. The area had not been under a severe weather risk this high since 2011. Strong storms continued to move throughout the Mid-South into the early morning hours of April 1.
Four people were also confirmed dead in Wynne, Arkansas due to powerful tornadoes that damaged the town in early April, according to Cross County Coroner, Eli Long.
The storms additionally hit Covington, Tennessee, where Tipton County Schools confirmed significant damage to Crestview Elementary and Middle Schools, and the Tipton County Hospital.
Damage to infrastructure, including power lines, left some of the roads leading to Covington impassable after the storms, according to the Covington Police Department Facebook page.
Those most affected by the tornado received critical help from their communities. Members at First Baptist Church of Bethel Springs created a command center for donations.
Vonda Burns, one of the church members that organized the assistance center says, “Just from a little idea, it took off. People from all over have pitched in to help. We even had people come cook for us from Louisiana. It has been absolutely amazing. It’s been overwhelming.”
Volunteer donations included baby items, toiletries, clothes, food — along with a small memorial honoring those who lost their lives.
McNairy County Mayor Larry Smith reportedly delivered food, generators and anything else that his residents needed. He said, “We can get by this and we will get by this and we’ll end up being a stronger County for it.”
McNairy County EMA said asked volunteer or anyone looking to contribute to that area to contact McNairy County Parks and Recreation at 731-439-0866.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders launched helparkansas.com, a one-stop website for tornado recovery resources. The website includes information on federal, state, local, and charitable resources for tornado victims, as well as volunteer and charity opportunities for Arkansans seeking to help.
In Covington, Tennessee, volunteers have gathered at Cobb Park, handing out food and supplies to those affected by the storms.
A disaster relief fund was established with Covington and First United Methodist Church. Donations can be made by cash or check made out to to First United Methodist and write 'disaster relief' in the memo portion of the check.
Mail to:
- P.O. Box 768
- Covington, TN 38019
The city is also set up a way to donate through its website and a GoFundMe which was posted to its social media.
Justin Pearson as part of 'The Tennessee Three,' makes national headlines
In Nashville, the Bluff City again made national headlines when the house expelled Memphis state representative Justin Pearson in April, alongside fellow democrat Justin Jones.
Republican leadership removed the Democratic lawmakers from their committees and subcommittees days after peaceful protests at the state capitol in response to The Covenant School shooting in Nashville.
All in all, spokesperson for the state house confirmed Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) had been removed from their respective committees.
“We are still determined to speak up and to fight on any how,” said Justin Pearson shortly after being expelled.
The "Tennessee Three" would go on to make national news, discussing gun reform with President Biden in the process.
On Easter Sunday, Pearson was selected by Church of the River as a guest pastor, where he thanked "all of our loved ones who've journeyed — who've wiped these tears from these eyes, lifted up my chin and also my heart."
Pearson made a point to state "I am not our lord in saviour Jesus Christ. I am just Justin J. Pearson," but, to laughter and applause in the congregation, directly likened Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to Pontius Pilate.
"Because we walked to the well of the house out of turn, resolutions were unjustly and undemocratically filed against us on these trumped up charges," Pearson said. "Because we spoke out against the empire of the NRA of the gun lobbyists; because we demanded an end to gun violence, an end to the proliferation of weapons on our streets, an end to the funerals we attend day after day and week after week and month after month and year after year — because we did that, the Republican-lead general assembly with the support of folks even in this district like Mark White, from our own community, thought it better to get rid of our democratic representation in district 86 than to actually solve the problem."
Voters eventually returned the two lawmakers back to office in special elections and both continued their crusade for tougher gun laws during a special session in August.
Paul Young is declared mayor-elect of Memphis
In October, Paul Young went on to win the Memphis Mayoral Election with just 28% of the vote. The contentious race was filled with more than a dozen candidates.
"This is not about me, this is not about Paul Young. This is about the future of our city," said Young shortly after winning.
Young announced his transition team following his victory. Among the notable names on the team are Emily Greer, CEO of Greer Leadership Solutions and former Chief Administrative Officer for ALSAC/St. Jude, former University of Memphis President David Rudd, former Chief People Officer for FedEx Chris Winton, Rhodes College President Jennifer Collins, and Director of Security at St. Jude and former MPD Director Toney Armstrong.
Young said the team will meet with the current administration and staff to lay out his vision.
"Diversity is a defining element of this team," said Young said in the news release. "It was important to pull together the best and brightest people from all neighborhoods and all facets of our community. Our business sector, civic, nonprofit and community organizations are all represented in this team, and we look forward to adding more.”
In November, Young named his first members of the new administration and opened up applications for those interested in working with his team.
Young announced Tannera Gibson as the new City Attorney and Chief Legal Officer. Gibson is the first African American woman named partner at Burch, Porter & Johnson, PLLC, where her focus is on government relations and municipal law, commercial and business litigation, labor and employment law, and personal injury litigation. She is also the first African American woman named President of the Memphis Bar Association.
Penelope Huston has been named the Chief Communications Officer. She has served as the Vice President of Communications and Marketing for the Downtown Memphis Commission for the past seven years, where Young served as President/CEO. She also worked previously with Contemporary Media, ALSAC, and Memphis in May.
Young also announced the "Opportunity Portal" where those interested can apply with a letter of interest and resume for positions in the Young administration.
“I am excited to get to work,” said Mayor-Elect Paul Young. “These first two early appointments show our commitment to excellence and my commitment to creating an administration staffed with problem-solvers who are ready to work on day one.”
On Dec. 14, Mayor-elect Paul Young announced the Memphis Police Department Police Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis will remain in her position when Young assumes office.
The announcement ends months of speculation Young might look elsewhere after Memphis' record-breaking crime in 2023 and controversy surrounding Tyre Nichols' death.
"We've had significant conversations," Young told ABC24 in December. "I feel good about CJ and her ability to lead."
Davis has over 35 years of law enforcement experience. She began her position in Memphis in 2021, becoming the city's first female MPD chief.
"The most important thing is making sure that we have a police director that is committed to earning the trust and faith of the officers throughout this city that can inspire them and also earn the trust and faith of the citizens of this community," Young said.
Memphis sees record number of homicides
Violent crime continued to plague Memphis in 2023. The city saw its second record homicide total in three years, nearly 400 as of Friday.
“We feel like we lost two thousand kids,” said Craig Littles, Memphis Shelby PAL Founder after one of the program participants died after being shot, “We hoping to stop it some kind of way but we got to come together and work it out.”
Memphians did not give up, many bringing forward solutions. Among them included a new law set to go into effect in 2024, which would guarantee former inmates of felony charges the documents they needed to get a job.
“We wanted to make sure the individuals have a leg up with they get home by at least allowing them to have the social documentation necessary to begin the process,” said DeAndre Brown with Shelby County Office of Re-Entry.