Desmond Mills Jr. testified Wednesday he was afraid of telling the truth because, “I’d be sitting in the exact seat I’m sitting in now.”

“We sit right next to one of the most dangerous cities in the country, but our crime rate has remained low,” Sheriff Thomas Tuggle said, referring to Memphis at DeSoto’s northern doorstep.

“I wish I could have stopped the punches,” Desmond Mills Jr. said. “It hurt to watch. … I felt bad every time his picture’s on the screen and to know I’m a part of that.”

Desmond Mills Jr., one of the cops who previously pleaded guilty in the death of Tyre Nichols, began his testimony Tuesday, Sept. 24, in the federal trial against the three former police officers.

Eduard Rodriguez-Tabora, 23, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the July 18, 2022, carjacking and killing of Autura Eason-Williams in the driveway of her Whitehaven home.

On the second day of the trial for Justin Johnson, the jury was shown photos of the shooting and Johnson’s his half-brother Jemarcus Johnson took the stand.

Sheriff Thomas Tuggle’s statements Monday were his first on the case in over a month, a decision he compared to a game of chess with the media.

Both witnesses said they deleted the Nichols photo. “I didn’t want that in my phone,” said one.

Lorie Ann Mealer Pennell would very likely still be a Jane Doe if it weren’t for Amber Edlin, a crime-scene technician with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. 

The jury will begin deliberations soon. After three days of testimony in the trial for Justin Johnson, one of the men accused of killing rapper Young Dolph, the defense and the prosecution have officially rested their cases.

Justin Johnson’s trial began Monday in Memphis court. Johnson is one of the men accused of fatally shooting Memphis rapper Young Dolph. A second alleged shooter, Cornelius Smith, took the stand Monday afternoon. 

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Young Dolph was killed while visiting Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies in 2021. Now, three of the men charged in his death are set to go to trial.

The proposed command center would be south of Interstate 40 off Canada Road.

Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner said detectives executed a felony warrant in Nashville for threats of mass violence at a school. 

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Mayor Young says he still thinks the referendum is not the best approach, but told The Daily Memphian he understands the sentiment. Gov. Lee says the referendum is about finding a way to “circumvent the law.”

A day after Kevin Ritz formally resigned as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, an acting successor has been named in his place.

A former SCORPION Unit officer testified he had seen Demetrius Haley and Emmitt Martin III use excessive force against an arrestee prior to Tyre Nichols’ beating.

Other schools closed and shifted to remote learning for students.

After closing school on Tuesday, students at Cornerstone Prep Denver returned to class Wednesday with the support of counselors. 

Three students have been detained in connection to a threat at Whitehaven High School, according to law enforcement, but active investigations remain into additional threats made to other Memphis schools on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

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“I didn’t know what it was,” said Jesse Guy, a paramedic with the Memphis Fire Department. “A couple of the officers were huddled up talking amongst each other, and it made me question things. I just wanted to go on and get him off the scene.”

Prosecutors entered two pieces of evidence: the photo of Tyre Nichols and a text-message exchange.

Martin’s testimony also included that fellow officer Demetrius Haley “escalated” the traffic stop when he pulled Nichols out of the car.

Ritz’s resignation follows his confirmation by the U.S. Senate Monday, Sept. 16, as a federal appeals court judge.

Auto burglaries have become so common near the Southaven-Whitehaven border, city officials might deny a business wanting to occupy an empty building near Stateline Road and Airways Boulevard.