UPDATE: District Attorney Steve Mulroy issued a response to Senator Taylor’s comments, saying the following:
“Looks like Taylor couldn’t get the votes in the Legislature for his removal resolution. As for outside body investigations, we should note that the BPR has dismissed ethics charges by Taylor; the Comptroller just gave our office a clean bill of health in a financial audit, and issued a report on Shelby’s criminal system that didn’t criticize our office; and the U of M just issued a report which vindicates my views on bail. Maybe some entity should investigate Taylor.”
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — State Sen. Brent Taylor is ramping up his efforts to have Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy investigated.
Friday Taylor announced his plans to get the Tennessee Supreme Court involved and said Lt. Gov. Randy McNally has called for a judicial committee to investigate Mulroy along with two other district attorneys general.
In January, Taylor filed a resolution that called for a legislative committee to consider the removal of Mulroy.
Next week, he plans to file a new resolution that would involve a judicial committee appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court.
“So you may ask, ‘Alright, why the Supreme Court?’ Well, the Supreme Court has this authority currently,” Taylor said. “And the statute reads that The Supreme Court is to take affirmative and appropriate action to correct or alleviate any condition or situation adversely affecting the administration of justice within the state, and so that’s exactly what we’re asking the Supreme Court to do.”
Taylor’s new resolution will call for a judicial committee to not only review the claims against D.A. Mulroy, but two others in Tennessee — D.A. Glen Funk of Nashville and D.A. Chris Stanford of McMinnville.
The resolution will include Senator Taylor’s initial allegations against the Shelby County District Attorney.
Mulroy — who is currently out of town for his 99-year-old mother’s funeral — has not released a statement about Taylor’s new resolution. WREG reached out to his office for comment, but we have not heard back yet.
McNally and Senate Judiciary Chair Todd Gardenhire also submitted a request to the Tennessee Supreme Court calling for a panel to review the three district attorneys.
Senator Taylor says some Tennessee residents have also had bad experiences with court clerks; however, there is not a complaint process or disciplinary board.
That’s why Lieutenant Governor McNally and Senate Judiciary Chairman Gardenhire are also asking the state Supreme Court to create codes of conduct for court clerks, as well as district attorneys and public defenders.
There’s no set timeline on when the state Supreme Court will decide on the lawmakers’ request; however, the Tennessee Senate and House will have their say on Senator Taylor’s new resolution.
