“It’s really good news because it shows city leadership paying attention to a problem that’s been a nagging one one that’s been building up.”
The problem Deborah Clubb is talking about is thousands of victims having rape kits go untested.
“If there are three storage locations, there are many many many kits stored,” she said.
As executive director of the Memphis Area Women’s Club, Clubb understands the pain victims go through.
It’s her job to make sure they have a voice – a voice finally being heard.
In 2010, the On Your Side investigators uncovered hundreds of untested rape kits at MPD.
City CAO George Little said that would change.
“I was told by MPD that they received that recommendation and they are in the process of collecting the backlog kits and from this point forward they will send kits to the TBI.”
The only change was the number went from the hundreds into the thousands.
“Every day (TBI)director (Mark) Gywn`s office receives sexual assault kits from Memphis and Shelby County, on current events that have happened or older cases,” said Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich.
Weirich and police director Toney Armstrong say every rape kit since 2011 was sent for testing.
What they aren’t saying is what’s being done to make sure that keeps happening, even questioning if it’s needed.
“You have to understand every case is given its own merit,” Armstrong said. “The investigation reveals that was a false allegation of rape so there certainly wouldn`t be a need for that case to be forwarded for additional testing because the allegation is not supported.”