Today marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks. We remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost and the bravery of the first responders who ran toward the very emergency that others were fleeing.
Here at the District Attorney’s Office, we are constantly reminded of the bravery of first responders and the heartbreak of victims and their families. That was true then, and it is still true today.
It may be a cliché to say that September 11 changed the world, but it is nonetheless sadly true. We learned important lessons from 9/11, but not always the right ones. Muslim immigrants were demonized. We were too quick to accept mass surveillance and the abridgment of civil liberties. And we fought an unnecessary and costly war in the Middle East. We can be forgiven for wondering whether we may be repeating some of those mistakes today.
But the lessons we got right are still with us: compassion for victims, respect for first responders, and the need to come together as a community and as a nation when faced with tragedy.
We learned the importance of bravery in the face of terrorism, the unacceptability of violence against civilians regardless of who’s doing it, and the resilience and endurance of Americans even when things appear darkest.
Twenty-five years later, those lessons are still worth remembering.
Jury Convicts Stepmother of Using Hot Water to Punish 6-Year-Old: Assistant District Attorneys Annika Rush and Fredricka Brown successfully prosecuted the case against Jasmine Irby, whom a Shelby County jury found guilty as charged of Aggravated Child Abuse and Aggravated Child Neglect on Friday, September 4, following one hour of deliberations.
The case stems from Irby using hot water as punishment against her 6-year-old stepson, causing second-degree burns to his hand and head. Before the incident, Irby also made the child stand outside in the cold wearing only pajamas.
During the trial, Irby testified that she “only” burned the child’s hand. ADA Rush cross-examined Irby and used digital evidence to challenge her testimony. The prosecution recently used the Lokion AI tool to help examine the digital evidence, which assisted the State in securing the conviction.
The jury returned guilty verdicts on both charges after hearing testimony from the State and eight defense witnesses.
ADAs Annika Rush & Fredricka Brown handled the case.
Defendant Pleads Guilty, Receives 27-Year Sentence in Abduction and Rape Case: Lafayette Miller pleaded guilty to two counts of Aggravated Rape and two counts of Especially Aggravated Kidnapping and received a 27-year prison sentence. Assistant District Attorney William Wetter handled the case.
The case stems from Miller abducting two teenage girls at a business in North Memphis and sexually assaulted one of them. One victim escaped and contacted police, prompting an AMBER Alert for the second victim, a 17-year-old girl.
Miller pleaded guilty to all four charges and received a 27-year sentence in connection with the abduction and rape..
ADA William Wetter handled the case.
Jury Convicts Two in Fatal North Memphis Shooting: Assistant District Attorneys Jennifer Morris and Shannon Toon successfully prosecuted the case against Jarius Hibbler and TaMarius Barron, whom a Shelby County jury found guilty of Aggravated Assault Resulting in Death in connection with the April 2024 shooting death of Troy Cunningham.
The case stems from a shooting near the Cavalier Court Apartments in North Memphis. Cunningham suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the back of his head. During the incident, gunfire also struck a vehicle carrying two women, one of whom suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder.
Evidence presented at trial showed Hibbler confronted Cunningham, made him raise his hands and took property from him before Hibbler shot at Cunningham as Cunningham attempted to flee. A witness identified Barron as one of the individuals who fired at Cunningham during the incident.
ADAs Jennifer Morris & Shannon Toon handled the case.
A Positive Encounter at the Airport
 While traveling recently, DA Steve Mulroy was approached by a stranger at the airport who complimented the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office on its work with expungements. She shared that she had previously worked in substance abuse recovery and reentry services in Shelby County.
It was a welcome reminder of the ways our work can reach people beyond the walls of 201 Poplar.
Our office is committed to supporting both substance abuse recovery and reentry efforts that help reduce the risk of repeat offenses. That work is an important part of improving public safety and helping people successfully move forward.
Mulroy also argued that the fear ICE raids can cause in Latino and immigrant communities could hinder criminal investigations.
"When people fear that contact with law enforcement could put themselves or their families at risk, crimes become harder to investigate, and cases become harder to prosecute," he said. |District Attorney Mulroy releases statement after ICE detains 120 at Memphis nightclub| via ABC 24
Now, the family’s attorneys say Memphis Police has completed its investigation [of the child’s death at the daycare]and forwarded the case to the D.A.’s office for review and possible further criminal proceedings.|Family of Winter Jones to share major update following tragic death| via WREG 3
According to authorities, Irby "used hot water as punishment" on her son, giving him second-degree burns to his hand and head. "Evidence showed the child was also made to stand outside in the cold wearing only pajamas," the DA's office added. |Mother who scalded her 6-year-old son on the head with hot water and made him stand outside in the cold as punishment found guilty| via Law & Crime
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