MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two days after a Shelby County judge released an 18-year-old charged with first-degree murder from jail without bond, that judge is catching major heat from a Tennessee state senator representing Shelby County.
Republican Sen. Brent Taylor penned an open letter to Michelle Long, the administrative director of the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Court, in which he asked her to look into Judge Bill Anderson Jr.'s judicial practices and bail decisions.
Anderson was the judge who released 18-year-old Edio White without bond on Nov. 27. White is charged with first-degree murder, among other crimes, for a shooting in Binghampton during a robbery that left a teen dead.
Memphis Police said White and a 15-year-old juvenile were charged with first-degree murder during the perpetration of robbery, criminal attempt especially aggravated robbery, and unlawful possession of a weapon. According to court records, White was released on his own recognizance (ROR) following a court hearing on Nov. 27, 2023.
In the letter, Taylor referenced comments Anderson made to the Shelby County Commission on Sept. 18, 2023, also posting a video of the comments on his Facebook page.
"Who's going to enforce [bail]? Not me. Not the bail bond companies," Anderson said before the County Commission. "They don't do anything but collect money from poor people. I detest the bail system in Shelby County."
Taylor called the case where Anderson released White from jail "disturbing," saying his decision to release him puts Taylor's constituents in danger.
Taylor said Anderson, who works as the supervising judge for Shelby County's judicial commissioner program, is "corrupting" other judges' bail decisions, which he said is apparent in the "continued setting of low bail amounts."
Later on social media, Taylor asked for people to hold Anderson accountable, calling him a "rogue official" in the court system.
"Our criminal justice system under our District Attorney and Judge Anderson choose to coddle criminals under so-called “restorative justice” rather than protect the law-abiding," Taylor said.
When asked, the Shelby County District Attorney's Office said "the judge made the ROR decision."
ABC24 reached out to Judge Anderson Tuesday when news of White's release broke. When we reached out again Wednesday, his office said he cannot comment on on-going cases but would be willing to discuss the issue of bond/bail reform. As of Wednesday afternoon, Anderson himself has yet to get back with us.