Tennessee legislators approved a resolution asking the state Supreme Court to form a panel to investigate alleged misconduct by three district attorneys, including Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy.
The Senate passed the measure, Senate Resolution 120, in a 27–6 vote, Thursday, April 17. The resolution also names Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk and 31st Judicial District Attorney Chris Stanford, who serve Warren and Van Buren counties, respectively.
“After eight months of work to hold DA Mulroy accountable, the Tennessee Senate voted 27–6 to pass a resolution urging the state Supreme Court to investigate Shelby County DA Steve Mulroy, along with DAs Glenn Funk and Christopher Robert Stanford, over allegations of misconduct,” said state Sen. Brent Taylor (R-Memphis), who introduced the resolution, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The resolution calls on the court to appoint a three- to five-member panel to conduct a judicial review of the prosecutors. It also urges the creation of a formal code of conduct for district attorneys general, district public defenders and court clerks.
Mulroy has been the target of Taylor’s criticism since 2024, when the DA continued to support bail reform measures outlined in a 2022 standing order by Shelby County judges. That order, now rescinded, had established a process requiring individualized bail hearings, taking into account a defendant’s financial situation and reserving cash bail for last-resort cases.
The reforms were intended to reduce pretrial detention and promote fairness. As a result, many defendants spent less time in jail awaiting trial. However, critics argued that the changes led to a “revolving door” of repeat offenders quickly released after arrest.
The bail policy was enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid shifting public attitudes toward the criminal justice system following the 2020 George Floyd protests.
In January, Taylor attempted to launch a legislative committee to investigate Mulroy, but the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility dismissed a related complaint in February after review.
Mulroy is not the only official to come under scrutiny from Taylor. Former Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Bill Anderson, who faced criticism for his bail rulings, retired in January.
