MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The ongoing COVID- 19 pandemic is causing a big back up in the courts. Usually 200 cases are tried at the Criminal Justice Center in a year. This year they have tried just 20.
Judge Lee Coffee, of the Shelby County Criminal Court -Division 7, spoke to WREG-TV about the impacts of the pandemic and why it’s only getting worse.
“The last case we tried a jury trial in Shelby County was the end of February,” Coffee said.
Coffee says the pandemic has had a massive impact on Shelby County Courts.
“In the last 8 months or so that we’ve not been trying cases I think I had 40 or 49 jury trial settings in a period of time,” Coffee said. “This court has not been able to try any of those cases. 10 of those were first degree murder cases.”
Coffee added, “We have a backlog of cases that backlog is not getting any better, anytime soon.”
Coffee says the Supreme Court has suspended all jury trials til the end of January, deeming them unsafe since courtrooms are too small to maintain social distancing. New larger courtrooms are under construction right now on the 4th floor of the CJC.
It’s hoped they will be complete by the end of January.
Billy Ray Turner’s case is one of those affected. His case was again reset to February 16th.
Turner is awaiting trial for the murder of basketball stand out Lorenzen Wright.
WREG-TV spoke with his attorney.
“He’s anxious about getting his day in court because he thinks that the day in court might clear his name,” John Perry, Billy Ray Turner’s Attorney, said.
Perry added, “The right to trial are very important right, don’t get me wrong, but also you have to balance that with the concerns of a public that you’re asking to come in.”
Coming in to serve on a jury, especially one that might be sequestered, is not an option right now.
“It’s something that is unavoidable because you have to put public safety first,” Coffee said. “You have to put the health of public and the community first. The unintended consequence of that is that. The Criminal Justice System is basically grinding to a halt,” Coffee said.
Right now, Shelby County Courts are holding hearings only for bonds and guilty pleas.