MEMPHIS, Tenn — Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy fired back at Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland Tuesday after the mayor publicly blasted Mulroy’s office in his newsletter last week.
Strickland criticized the DA’s office for being soft on crime after the office dismissed charges against a woman who was caught on video firing a gun at a police officer driving an unmarked car in front of a Whitehaven police station last November.
According to case details, the police officer was following the woman in the unmarked vehicle because he believed she was riding in a stolen car.
“If this is not a clear example that we have a problem in our criminal justice system, I do not know what one is,” Strickland wrote in his weekly newsletter. “This is yet another frustrating example of the ‘Revolving Door’ that is 201 Poplar.”
However, the Mulroy says Strickland’s comments lacked important details about the case, misleading the public.
“This is the third time that mayor Strickland’s email newsletter has criticized our office by creating a misleading portrayal,” Mulroy said.
Mulroy described the case as follows: A police officer driving an unmarked black Dodge Charger with lights off began following a woman in Whitehaven.
Mulroy says after she was followed for two miles, the woman fired shots out of an open window of her car toward the Charger as she pulled into a police precinct parking lot looking for safety; no one was hurt.
“Where she could’ve turned into any number of places,” Mulroy said. “She decided to turn into a police precinct parking lot for safety. When the person in the black dodge charger still turned in to follow her at that point, she let off several rounds.”
Mulroy also made clear that important context includes the fact that three days earlier, the woman’s boyfriend had been murdered by a man in a black Dodge Charger.
“We don’t condone the shooting. I think there are far more responsible ways that she could’ve handled that situation.” Mulroy said. “But at the same time, we understand that her fear was understandable, and that this was not the typical aggravated assault case. There were unusual mitigating factors that warranted a slower, more careful response.”
In an interview with ABC24 after Mulroy’s press conference Tuesday morning Mayor Strickland stood by his statements.
“We have a gun violence problem in our city, and we need to take it seriously,” Strickland said. “That explanation is not an excuse. I feel bad that her boyfriend died by an act of violence but that doesn’t excuse shooting five times into traffic. How can it be self-defense when no one fired a gun at her.”