MEMPHIS, Tenn — The end of the year. That is the timeline that was set by a chancery court judge as to when the Shelby County Mayor’s administration needs to intervene in a lawsuit county commissioners filed against opioid makers.
The commissioners chairwoman Heidi Shafer initially filed the lawsuit against big pharmacy.
The commission voted yesterday to direct Luttrell to drop the lawsuit against Shafer.
Chairwoman Shafer spoke to WREG and said that she is overall pleased with the ruling and said that it will get the ball moving forward for the lawsuit.
Mayor Mark Luttrell said while he has not read the decision by the judge after speaking with the attorney representing his office – he believes it reflects their stance as well.
The Mayor`s office now has until the end of the year to intervene in the lawsuit before the commission`s case against big pharmaceutical companies can go forward.
“I think he was clear he believes going forward it’s in the public’s best interest for the lawsuit to move forward,” said Allan Wade, attorney for the Memphis City Council but spoke on behalf of the commission in court. “We’ve never objected them getting in it. If they want to hire their own lawyers – hire their own lawyers.”
“The public is hemorrhaging money, the taxpayers are hemorrhaging money.”
Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell said that his office will intervene in the lawsuit.
“We’re going to intervene,” said Mayor Mark Luttrell. “We’re going to step in and take a good hard look at what has been done in the last two or three weeks and see what we can salvage or what we can improve upon.”
