Advocacy group ranks Shelby Co. DA as worst for violating Constitution – FOX13 Memphis

by: Zach Crenshaw Updated: Jul 13, 2017 - 10:13 PM

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - A new report says the Shelby County District Attorneys Office violates the constitution more than any other office in Tennessee.

The Harvard Law study highlighted misconduct and overturned convictions over the past six years.

>>Read the full report for yourself here

Its critical of Amy Weirich andher entire office which the new report says has repeatedly violated their constitutional and ethical duties.

Weirich called the report inaccurate.

In March, Weirich held a press conference to announce she had taken a private reprimand from the states Board of Professional Responsibility.

Weirich characterized the reprimand as a mistake.

A report by the Fair Punishment Project though, characterized it as part of a larger pattern of misconduct.

The report, by a Harvard Law group, found Weirichs office was number one in 'misconduct' and 'reversal' out of Tennessees 95 counties.Per capita, Shelby County was also in the top ten for both.

"Well, there's nothing new in the report," saidJosh Spickler, Executive Director ofthe Memphis advocacy group Just City.

"I think the report, for the first time,really allows us to compare our jurisdiction in Shelby County with others in the state and see just how poorly we are doing," said Spickler

The report looked at the Shelby County cases of misconduct and overturned convictions from 2011 to the present day.

In 2015, it mentions the Noura Jackson case where Weirich was reprimanded for withholding key evidence from the defense and asking questions of Jackson after she took the fifth amendment.

In 2004, Weirich called two defendants greed and evil multiple times. She was admonished by a higher court.

Also in 2004, a defense attorney said they found an envelope initialed by Weirich with, Do not show defense written on it.

Weirich sent FOX13 the following statement:

This is a grossly inaccurate and incomplete account of these cases as seen through the eyes of a defense advocacy group. I became a prosecutor to hold the guilty accountable and to protect the innocent in every case, and that is what I have tried to do throughout my career. I will never apologize for trying to seek justice for victims of crime.

"This report is not about those cases," said Spickler. "This report is about a pattern of statistics really, about how often cases are overturned, how often misconduct is found, and how often ethics violations occur in the prosecutors office."

Weirich, known for not backing down in the courtroom, is not flinching.

Spickler, however, hopes the report helps hold the office accountable which he said starts at the top.

"It would be great to see something from this office that indicates that there is a pattern that is problematic and we are doing something to make sure it doesn't happen in the future."

The Harvard Law group that put the study together told us their research only reflected the rulings of judges.

The director also told us their board includes a former U.S. prosecutor and state district attorney.

2017 Cox Media Group.

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Advocacy group ranks Shelby Co. DA as worst for violating Constitution - FOX13 Memphis