SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — For the first time in 2024, Hamilton County District Attorney General Coty Wamp gave a thorough update on the investigation into Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert.
The Hamilton County DA’s office has been investigating the clerk since late 2023 after Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy ordered Hamilton County to investigate.
DAG Wamp admitted that she paused her investigation shortly after they started looking into Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert.
Wamp told reporters she was trying to give Halbert the benefit of the doubt that she would do better with her financial reporting. Wamp said that didn’t happen.
ABC24 also asked exactly what it would look like if her office moves forward with removing Clerk Halbert from office, which is a possibility.
“Ouster proceedings are not common though, and so even us as lawyers are still trying to figure out how the proceedings would play out,” Wamp said. “Certainly, in a court in Shelby County. We have multiple courts to choose from, including criminal chancery and circuit court. Those are decisions that would be significant decisions for us to decide.”
DAG Wamp said the last time her office met with Clerk Halbert was for two hours in December.
They tried to meet with the clerk during the week of March 22 but say she was hesitant and the clerk planning to retain her own attorney, not associated with the county, for any other proceedings.
Clerk Halbert has not responded to a request for comment.