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Reposted by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 17/09/2026

The Congressional Black Caucus Institute’s “SO VOTE” campaign will seek to register and mobilize young voters, as well as voters in majority-Black and rural communities, across the South, Midwest and West. www.mississippifreepress.org/black-caucus...

mississippifreepress.org

Black Caucus Launches Effort to Boost Voting Among Black, Rural and Young Voters in Midterms

A nonprofit run by Black federal lawmakers launched an effort Tuesday to engage lower-propensity voters in the midterm elections.

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Reposted by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Felony Murder Elimination Project @endfelonymurder.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

ICYMI - In the investigative report "How a Little-Known Tennessee Law Convicts Black Children for Murders They Didn't Commit," the non-profit newsroom @mlk50.com examines the role Tennessee's Felony Murder law played in seeing 104 Tennessee children sentenced to die in prison. bit.ly/4iu9C5c

bit.ly

ICYMI - How a Little-Known Tennessee Law Convicts Black Children for Murders They Didn't Commit - Felony Murder Elimination Project

ICYMI - In the investigative report "How a Little-Known Tennessee Law Convicts Black Children for Murders They Didn't Commit," the non-profit newsroom MLK50 examines the role Tennessee's Felony Murder...

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 30/08/2026

Out of an instinct to build solidarity with Carruthers, Richardson said he started a petition to ask the state to pause the execution and review Carruthers’ case. But that didn’t happen. “The form of power that incarcerated people are most familiar with is the misuse of power,” Richardson said.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 30/08/2026

David Richardson is a 36-year-old man from Memphis who is serving a life sentence at Turney Center Industrial Complex in Only, Tennessee. He is a two-time president of his prison’s chapter of the Lifer’s Club, a group of nearly 80 members.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 30/08/2026

Most defendants sentenced to death in Shelby County have been resentenced to life or a lesser sentence. This means the courts have repeatedly found flaws in the county’s death penalty cases — from arrest, investigation and trial to quality of defense representation and jury selection.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 30/08/2026

Usually, the jury is responsible for deciding the sentence, but the death penalty can only be recommended for defendants convicted of first-degree murder. Data analysis shows death row prisoners in Tennessee await their execution for an average of 26 years.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 30/08/2026

Prosecutors have tremendous power in the criminal justice system. Part of their job is to lead criminal cases through trial, negotiate plea deals with people accused of crimes and recommend prison sentences for people convicted of crimes.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 30/08/2026

When the state botched his execution in May, it turned public attention to death row. Carruthers is one of 41 people serving a death sentence in Tennessee. People from Shelby County make up 51% of the state’s death row population while accounting for only 12% of the state’s overall population.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 30/08/2026

Currently, 21 people on death row are from Memphis. All are men who were convicted of first-degree murder. Tony Carruthers is one of the defendants sentenced to death in Shelby County. Since his conviction in the 1990s, Carruthers has maintained his innocence, and his family stands with him.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 30/08/2026

Our analysis shows that 1 in 3 defendants sentenced to death in Tennessee has been from Memphis — a pattern that researchers say shows how prosecutors use their power. At least 77 people from Shelby County have been sent to death row since the 1970s, but most of those sentences were overturned.

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Reposted by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Nolan Wells’ parents are on a nonstop campaign to get answers into the mysterious death of their son. The NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus have lent their support as family and friends continue to mourn. bit.ly/4fkVybT

capitalbnews.org

NAACP, Congressional Black Caucus Lends Support in Nolan Wells’ Case

As family and friends mourn the 18-year-old, supporters continue to push for answers about how he died while on a boat trip with friends.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 17/08/2026

With your support, MLK50 can continue producing the independent journalism Memphis needs. Click here to give today! givebutter.com/mlk50-bpm26?...

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Support Black Philanthropy Month 💛

By MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 17/08/2026

August is a celebration of Black giving & Black-led nonprofits, like MLK50. As we lift up Black Philanthropy Month, we are reminded that progress has always been powered by many people working toward a shared purpose. We believe the strength of a movement lives in the voices that carry it forward.

givebutter.com

Support Black Philanthropy Month 💛

By MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

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Reposted by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 17/08/2026

Nearly 30 years after the fatal shooting of Tupac Shakur, a man is set to stand trial in Las Vegas on a charge of orchestrating the murder, putting a tangled story of gang rivalries and old hip-hop beefs in front of a jury. Follow updates here.

nyti.ms

Tupac Shakur Murder Trial Live Updates: Opening Statements to Begin in Duane Davis Case

The drive-by shooting of Tupac Shakur in 1996 was a pivotal moment in music history. Duane Keith Davis is now on trial, accused of supplying the murder weapon.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 17/08/2026

MLGW cutoffs impacted nearly 1 in 5 Memphis households in 2025. But how do they actually work? We dive into the company's policies and how they disadvantage its lowest-income customers. mlk50.com/2026/08/13/m...

mlk50.com

MLGW utility cutoffs hit low-income Memphians the hardest. How do they work?

This is the second piece in MLK50's ongoing series about how utility cutoffs impact working-class Memphians. Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division has one

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Reposted by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Eviction Lab @evictionlab.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

“Utility cutoffs have well-documented health and safety impacts on low-income families, including increased risks of hunger from cutting back on food to pay bills, heatstroke from lack of air conditioning and house fires." mlk50.com/2026/08/12/1... By @narwhallington.bsky.social

mlk50.com

1 in 5 Memphis households had its utilities cut off in 2025 — and disconnections are on the rise

Photo illustration by Andrea Morales / MLK50 This is the first piece in MLK50’s ongoing series on how utility cutoffs impact working-class Memphians. Nearly one in five Memphis households exp…

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 13/08/2026

In the heat of summer, a utility cutoff can be deadly. So why did MLGW cut off nearly one in five Memphis households in 2025? Here's a look at the factors impacting the utility giant's high cutoff rate. mlk50.com/2026/08/12/1...

mlk50.com

1 in 5 Memphis households had its utilities cut off in 2025 — and disconnections are on the rise

Photo illustration by Andrea Morales / MLK50 This is the first piece in MLK50's ongoing series on how utility cutoffs impact working-class Memphians.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 13/08/2026

Prosecutors can convict you of felony murder if you participate in a felony and someone dies in the process — regardless of the role you played in the crime. Unlike premeditated murder, you do not have to kill anyone to be charged with felony murder. You do not have to intend to kill, either.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 13/08/2026

Of the 43 children convicted of felony murder in Shelby County ... 42 were Black.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 13/08/2026

Meanwhile, former district attorneys told MLK50 that their colleagues sometimes decided not to charge white youth with felony murder. As one former prosecutor said, “They’ll say, ‘We don’t want to ruin this white kid’s life.’”

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 13/08/2026

Bill Gibbons, the county’s district attorney from 1996 to 2011, prosecuted most of these youth. Every child convicted of felony murder during his tenure was Black. When asked, Gibbons attributed MLK50’s findings to “Black-on-Black crime.”

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 13/08/2026

While the law itself does not mention race, prosecutors almost exclusively use it to prosecute Black children. 👉 From 1995 to 2019, almost 90% of Tennessee children convicted of felony murder have been Black. 👉 Over 40% of these children were convicted in one place: Shelby County.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 13/08/2026

MLK50: Justice Through Journalism spent a year collecting data on felony murder. It reveals, for the first time, how Tennessee prosecutors use the rule against the state’s children.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 13/08/2026

This is a story about 104 children in Tennessee sentenced to die in prison by the “felony murder rule.” The felony murder rule is deceptively simple: If you participate in a felony and someone dies because of the crime, a prosecutor can charge you with their murder.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 13/08/2026

How a little-known Tennessee law convicts Black children for murders they didn't commit. They were all prosecuted under a little-known aspect of Tennessee law, known as “the felony murder rule.”

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Reposted by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

From @mlk50.com: “104 children sentenced to die in prison by Tennessee — some hadn’t killed anyone… Almost all Black, prosecuted under little-known ‘felony murder rule’: If you participate in a felony and someone dies they can charge you with murder.” mlk50.com/2026/07/27/p...

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 11/08/2026

An analysis by MLK50 shows that 1 in 3 people sentenced to death in Tennessee have been from Shelby County. More than half of those sentences have been overturned. Most of those cases involved Black defendants.

mlk50.com

Why do people from Shelby County make up most of death row?

Photo illustration by Andrea Morales / MLK50 After the Tennessee Department of Corrections botched Tony Carruthers’ execution in May, he was given

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Reposted by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Savannah State student Johan Sandoval spent two weeks in a New York detention center due to what his attorney says was a document error. The Trump administration’s crackdown on student visas leaves other students at risk. bit.ly/4q2Spl2

capitalbnews.org

Savannah State Student Keeps Fighting for His Baseball Dream Despite ICE Detention

As the Trump administration cracks down on student visas, Johan Sandoval's attorney says he was detained for a document error.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 06/08/2026

Now, it’s up to you. GO VOTE TODAY!

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 06/08/2026

These are the three main roles the county sheriff serves: 👉Enforces laws and investigates crimes 👉Oversees certain processes and safety at court 👉Manages jails and the people detained there

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 06/08/2026

While Sheriff Floyd Bonner has been Shelby County’s top brass since 2018, he cannot run again after serving two four-year terms. Since it is an elected position, the sheriff answers only to voters — not mayors, commissioners or council members.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 06/08/2026

🤠 It is time for a new sheriff in town, and 2 candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for the job. For the first time in eight years, Shelby County residents like you will elect a new sheriff. Your vote will determine one of the most powerful seats in local government.

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Reposted by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Anita Wadhwani @anitawadhwani.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

A group of mostly retired Memphians tracks flights of immigrant detainees transferred from the city, documenting conditions. Now, they’re pressuring a private air center where the flights are boarded, seeking to stop the flights. Story: @meghnadbose.bsky.social tennesseelookout.com/2026/08/06/t...

tennesseelookout.com

‘The Bird-Watchers’ of Memphis: tracking ICE flights and documenting detainees In shackles • Tennessee Lookout

A group of mostly retired Memphians has been tracking flights of immigrant detainees transferred from Memphis at Wilson Air.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 04/08/2026

In Boxtown, air carries the weight of pollution and a history of resistance. Currently, Elon Musk’s company, SpaceXAI, operates three data centers within 10 miles of Boxtown; they release smog-forming pollution and many hazardous materials like formaldehyde. mlk50.com/2026/08/04/t...

mlk50.com

The Weight of Air

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 01/08/2026

We are excited to announce that staff members from MLK50: Justice Through Journalism earned three Diamond Journalism awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, Arkansas chapter.

mlk50.com

MLK50 scores regional prizes

The judges’ comments about MLK50’s Charlotte Tillar Schexnayder Public Service Award on screen during the Diamond Journalism awards ceremony on July 25.

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Anita Wadhwani @anitawadhwani.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Tennessee GOP candidate Monty Fritts: "When pressed on the 1st Amendment — which reads, in part, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion” — Fritts argued the amendment’s opening word limits its scope to the federal government, not the states." www.wsmv.com/2026/07/29/t...

wsmv.com

Tennessee state representative, candidate for governor plans to ban mosques, non-Christian religions if elected

State Rep. Monty Fritts, 63, a Republican candidate for governor, made the remarks in a sit-down interview with four days remaining in the state’s primary early voting period.

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MLK50: Justice Through Journalism @mlk50.com · 28/07/2026

Between 1995 & 2019, 163 children were sentenced to die in prison by Tennessee. Most were prosecuted under a little-known aspect of Tennessee law, known as “the felony murder rule.” In a 4-part investigation, we found how the rule has changed kids' lives forever. mlk50.com/2026/07/27/p...

mlk50.com

Power and Prejudice: How a little-known Tennessee law convicts Black children for murders they didn't commit

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(っ◔◡◔)っ 🌮 ѕтєρнαηιє 🌮 @notarolemodel.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

For a year, @mlk50.com collected data on a little-known aspect of TN law, known as “the felony murder rule.” Our work reveals, for the first time, how prosecutors use the rule against kids. While the law itself does not mention race, prosecutors almost exclusively use it to prosecute Black kids.

mlk50.com

Power and Prejudice: How a little-known Tennessee law convicts Black children for murders they didn't commit

Visit the post for more.

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