Memphis City Council members expressed interest in viewing police bodycam footage from last month’s “No Kings” rally to cap the Tuesday, April 14 meeting.
MPD officers are accused of using excessive force during the March 28 demonstration against protestors of the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration. In addition to the use of pepper spray and aggressive physical tactics, police on the scene are accused of detaining safety monitors and accosting public officials. There were also reports of injuries to protestors.
Three of six protesters arrested during the protest had faced various charges, which have since been dismissed. Four Memphis police officers were placed on administrative leave.
Many of the complaints against police were elaborated upon by members of the audience who attended the rally.
“It’s different than when I speak about what I saw when you come here and articulate what you witnessed, or what you had done to you,” said council member JB Smiley. “I’m not sure if you will ever get an apology from the administration, but those councilmembers that are here and those that aren’t here, we are deeply sorry about what transpired.”
Smiley offered the apology after another member asked the relevant committee chair to bring the MPD chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis in for questioning over the accusations.
“I think it’s important in this day and time in our moment of history that we all speak up. I agree with you that we need more transparency and we need timelines,” said councilwoman Jerri Green. “So I want you to know right now, right here today I am calling on our public safety chair, Councilman Ford Canale, to put on the next committee meetings’ agenda, CJ Davis to come before us…”
Passed in the wake of the beating death of Tyre Nichols by MPD officers, ordinance 5582 permits council members access to police bodycam footage. However, the status of the law needs to be defined. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill into law that “preempted” several council actions in March of 2024. Access to bodycam footage may have been a casualty.
“I know the Nashville legislators put laws in place to limit what this body can and cannot do,” Smiley said. “If it’s not preempted, I think you have an avenue to get access to some of the body camera footage you all have been requesting.”
The effort to question Davis may face hurdles too. Mayor Paul Young was allegedly unsupportive of the chat. Moreover, legal action against the police department is already underway. Both could prevent Davis’ input.
“I do understand that we may get pushback from the administration,” Green said. “I have spoken with city attorney Tamara Gibson. She has advised me that the ACLU has filed suit on the (federal) consent decree. And then she may advise CJ Davis whether she can speak, or not. But if that is the case, she needs to come say that again in committee,” said Jerri Green.
The new allegations against the MPD could be a setback to the department’s effort to repair its image after Nichols’ death. Davis and the department were recently lauded by the council for the sustained drop in the Memphis’ crime rate. Part of the drop has been attributed to Memphis Safe Task Force, the federal-state-local anti-crime initiative launched by Lee at the request of Trump in late September.
Meanwhile, Green and Smiley are candidates for higher office in 2026. The former is a candidate to succeed Lee, while the latter is locked in a scrum to succeed term-limited Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. Both are Democrats.
Green also informed the audience that she is also seeking answers on the stalled water recycling plant meant for use by the nearby Colossus I supercomputer. Talks have been ongoing with the administration, the Greater Memphis Chamber and MLGW. However, Green said has received little from xAI. She was routed to the parent company, instead.
“I was given the contact of a government relations person of SpaceX,” said Green. “But I plan to call him and ask him to come before the committee, alongside the administration and to give us clear answers and timelines.”
