The majority of Tennesseans approve of President Donald Trump’s decision to send the National Guard to crime-ridden Memphis, a poll found. 
The Beacon Center of Tennessee released a new poll on Wednesday that found 63% of Tennessee voters approved of Trump’s announcement to deploy the National Guard to Memphis. Thirty-three percent of those surveyed said that they disapproved of Trump’s deployment decision. The majority of Republicans supported the deployment, while most Democrats opposed it. 
The Beacon Center is a nonpartisan organization that provides research on free market solutions to public policy questions. 
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has sent federal law enforcement personnel to Memphis, where they have <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1983613889410728127">made </a>over 1,700 arrests, including over 126 gang members. They have made arrests for individuals wanted on charges related to murder, drugs, gun charges, and sex offenses.
A judge on Monday heard arguments challenging Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s authority to send the National Guard into Memphis, which has historically had one of the worst murder rates in the country. The troops have been patrolling neighborhoods in a manner similar to their deployment in crime-plagued Washington, D.C. 
The Beacon Center of Tennessee Poll also found that a majority of Tennessee Democrats have a favorable view of socialism. The polling was conducted before Democrat socialist Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City. 
Surveying 336 Democrat voters, 54% have a positive view, while another 31% had a negative view. Altogether, 56% of Tennessee voters had a negative view of socialism, while 32% had a favorable view. 
<div id="attachment_996097" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-996097" class="size-full wp-image-996097" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/13-Socialism.png" alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/13-Socialism.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/13-Socialism-300x225.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/13-Socialism-768x576.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Beacon Center poll.</div>
“The favorability of socialism among Democrats is notable, and it will likely influence how Democratic candidates run to the Left in contested primaries, but also could spell doom for the party in general elections if the public’s view on socialism stays the same,” said Mark Cunningham, the Beacon&#8217;s senior fellow for public opinion.
Other key findings from the poll included Senator Marsha Blackburn having a strong lead in the race to be the Republican gubernatorial nominee ahead of Rep. John Rose (R-TN) and state Rep. Monty Fritts. In a hypothetical matchup voted on by 545 Republican voters, Blackburn garnered 58% of the vote, Rose 9%, and Fritts 5%. 
The poll also found that most voters support Tennessee’s deal with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk to build a tunnel from the airport to downtown Nashville. 
In all, the poll sampled some 1,200 registered voters from October 26 to 29.

Trump Increases Federal Law Enforcement Presence, Deploys National Guard In Nation’s Capital

Most Tennesseans Support Trump’s National Guard Deployment To Memphis

Marsha Blackburn

Memphis

National Guard

Tennessee

The Trump administration&#8217;s crime crackdown in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-targets-memphis-crime-with-strategy-proven-in-washington-d-c">Memphis</a> led to the arrests of serious illegal immigrant criminals, The Daily Wire has learned.
Illegal immigrant gang members, pedophiles, rapists, domestic abusers, and drug traffickers have all been taken off the streets by federal immigration authorities deployed by President Donald Trump to Memphis in recent weeks.
“Memphis has suffered from historic levels of violent crime including a murder rate that is four times higher than Mexico City. No American should be afraid to walk down the streets in their own neighborhoods,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Daily Wire.
“In Memphis, DHS law enforcement is working hand in glove with Attorney General Bondi to enhance public safety, fight crime, and provide much-needed support to our law enforcement partners at the local, state, and federal level. The Trump administration WILL make America safe again.”
<div id="attachment_988639" style="width: 380px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-988639" class="wp-image-988639 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-56-1.jpg" alt="" width="370" height="336" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-56-1.jpg 370w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-56-1-300x272.jpg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px" />Mugshot of Luis Alfredo Maldonado-Lopez (Credit: DHS)</div>
Authorities arrested Honduran illegal immigrant Luis Alfredo Maldonado-Lopez, who was previously apprehended for fondling a child, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
<div id="attachment_988643" style="width: 380px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-988643" class="wp-image-988643 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-57-1.jpg" alt="" width="370" height="335" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-57-1.jpg 370w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-57-1-300x272.jpg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px" />Mugshot of Jose Eduardo Mena Perez (Credit: DHS)</div>
Also captured was Mexican Sureño 13 gang member Jose Eduardo Mena Perez, who was previously convicted of burglary, destroying evidence, unlawful carrying/possession of a weapon, and arrested for larceny, possession of narcotic equipment, assault, and aggravated assault with a weapon.
He had been deported twice previously, according to DHS.
<div id="attachment_988651" style="width: 380px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-988651" class="wp-image-988651 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-58-1.jpg" alt="" width="370" height="336" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-58-1.jpg 370w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-58-1-300x272.jpg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px" />Mugshot of Luis Alberto Cordova Bandala (Credit: DHS)</div>
Luis Alberto Cordova Bandala, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was previously arrested for domestic violence, aggravated assault of a police officer, and resisting a law enforcement officer.
<div id="attachment_988659" style="width: 380px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-988659" class="wp-image-988659 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-60-1.jpg" alt="" width="370" height="336" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-60-1.jpg 370w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Untitled-design-60-1-300x272.jpg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px" />Mugshot of Simeon Sosa-Camargo (Credit: DHS)</div>
Convicted illegal immigrant smuggler Simeon Sosa-Camargo, who hails from Mexico, was also caught.
Trump directed federal authorities and the National Guard to target crime in Memphis after successfully doing so in Washington, D.C.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-target-san-francisco-with-immigration-raids?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Trump+To+Target+San+Francisco+With+Immigration+Raids">Trump</a> administration has also pledged to send troops and more Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to San Francisco.
&#8220;We continue to have targeted operations in many, many cities, but also very focused on those where challenges are still remaining, such as Portland, Chicago, we&#8217;re in Memphis as well, we&#8217;re going to San Francisco at the direction of the president as well,&#8221; DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said at a press conference Monday.
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to continue to make sure we&#8217;re focused not just on those cities that we hear about on the news, but also in cities like Sarasota that we make sure that law enforcement officers in every single community get the chance to continue to get these criminals off of their streets,&#8221; she added.

Untitled design (61)

ICE Nabs Dangerous Illegal Immigrants During Memphis Crime Crackdown

Illegal Immigration

Charlie Kirk&#8217;s assassination stands before a judge, President Donald Trump hit the New York Times with a hefty defamation suit, and he continues his big city crime crackdown in a new destination.
It’s Wednesday, September 17, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Kirk Investigation Expands &amp; Operation Viper Greenlit" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H9oow-_736U?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kirk-investigation-expands-operation-viper-greenlit/id1576594336?i=1000727171096" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Prosecutors Seeking Death Penalty For Suspected Kirk killer</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-973217 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Kirks-alleged-killer-charged.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>
Topline: 22-year-old Tyler Robinson appeared in a Utah court on Tuesday, where he was formally charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice.
Utah County District Attorney Jeff Gray determined that Robinson targeted conservative activist Charlie Kirk for his political beliefs and announced that he would seek the death penalty.
“I do not take this decision lightly, and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime,” <a href="https://x.com/realDailyWire/status/1968018720820981764">said</a> Gray.
The evidence: Prosecutors released chilling <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/1968026479037747546">text messages </a>between Robinson and his trans-identifying boyfriend from the hours after the shooting. When asked why he shot Kirk, Robinson allegedly responded: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” 
Robinson also appears to have confessed to the crime on Discord, an online messaging platform. Robinson allegedly wrote two hours before he was taken into custody: “Hey gurobinys, I have bad news for you all&#8230;It was me at UVU yesterday. I&#8217;m sorry for all of this.”
Stolen villainy: 71-year-old George Zinn was taken away in handcuffs immediately after the shooting. Reports circulated that he was the one responsible for shooting Kirk, but police later clarified that he was not the shooter and was being held on obstruction of justice charges.
Zinn, a well-known left-wing activist in Utah, prompted his own arrest by claiming to an officer on scene: “I shot him, now shoot me.” Only after arriving at the police station did Zinn confess he was not the shooter and was only trying to “draw attention from the real shooter.”
FBI agents who interviewed Zinn also discovered child sex abuse material on his phone, so he is now facing four additional charges.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Sues The New York Times</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-973219 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-sues-the-Times.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>
Topline: President Trump on Monday filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times. He has accused the newspaper of a years-long campaign to destroy his reputation and undermine his political success.
Trump filed the suit Monday in a U.S. District Court in Florida. The complaint targets four of the Times’ most prominent journalists — Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Michael Schmidt, and Peter Baker. It also names Penguin Random House, which published a book based on the Times’ reporting.
The evidence: An investigative series and book titled “Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success,” alleges that Trump committed tax fraud in inheriting his father&#8217;s real estate empire and built his wealth on deceptive practices. That series was written by Craig and Buettner, and Penguin Random House released it just before the 2024 election.
The suit also targets an interview by Schmidt with retired Gen. John F. Kelly, Trump&#8217;s former chief of staff, who said that the president met the definition of a fascist and posed a dictatorial threat.
Trump’s view: The president calls these claims &#8220;repugnant distortions and fabrications.” He also says the Times&#8217; reporting deliberately minimized his contributions to the success of his television show, &#8220;The Apprentice,&#8221; and instead solely credited producer Mark Burnett.
Trump argues that all these examples meet the legal definition of defamation because the paper&#8217;s coverage was engineered to inflict “enormous economic losses” on his businesses and personal brand.
The Gray Lady fights back: A spokesman for The New York Times said the lawsuit “lacks any legitimate legal claims and is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting.” Penguin-Random House similarly called it meritless, arguing that the lawsuit is part of a broader effort to intimidate media organizations criticizing Trump.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump’s Crime Crackdown Moves South</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-973221" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Operation-Viper-Strikes.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: President Trump has officially directed a crackdown on crime in Memphis, Tennessee, using a strategy similar to the one deployed in Washington, D.C.
Trump signed a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/restoring-law-and-order-in-memphis/">memo</a> Monday that establishes the Memphis Safe Task Force, whose objective is to “end street and violent crime in Memphis to the greatest possible extent” through hypervigilant policing, aggressive prosecution, and other efforts. Federal agencies such as the ATF, DOJ, HHS, HUD, and the Department of War will be involved and coordinate with local and state law enforcement. This will supplement “Operation Viper,” an FBI-led mission already working in Memphis to target violent offenders.
According to Trump, the situation in Memphis is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDIptQsoA48">dire</a>: “In 2024, Memphis had the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/12/trump-deploy-national-guard-memphis-crime-rate?utm_source=chatgpt.com">highest crime rate</a>, the highest property crime rate, and the third-highest murder rate of any city in the nation – other than that, they are doing quite well, thank you. A person is 4 times more likely to be murdered in Memphis, Tennessee, today than in Mexico City. There were 249 murders, 429 rapes, 5,616 burglaries, and 12,522 violent assaults in just the last little while in 2024 and pieces of 2025.”
Room for negotiation: Memphis Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, said he doesn&#8217;t want the National Guard in his city, but understands that it’s not his call and will be working with authorities on this matter.
Other local Democrats have also expressed opposition to this intervention. That said, there appears to be considerable support as well. CBS spoke to some business owners in the area and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p22syVrpYOw">reported</a> that they welcome the National Guard and are excited to see some changes.
What’s next: Trump said on Tuesday that Chicago is “probably next” to get the D.C. treatment. He said it’s a “great city” and will be “great again.&#8221; He made these comments despite opposition from both Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Morning Brief: Death Penalty In Kirk Killing, Trump Sues NYT & Memphis Gets The Trump Treatment

Charlie Kirk

Donald Trump

Media

Morning Wire

Politics

The New York Times

Utah

President Donald Trump on Monday signed a memo directing a crackdown on crime in Memphis, Tennessee, using a strategy similar to the one deployed in Washington, D.C.
The <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/restoring-law-and-order-in-memphis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memo</a> establishes the Memphis Safe Task Force and directs the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to request control of the Tennessee National Guard from the governor. Trump’s Monday directive followed a request from Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee for help fighting crime in Memphis.
“This task force will be a replica of our extraordinarily successful efforts here (in Washington, D.C.), and you&#8217;ll see it&#8217;s a lot of the same thing,” Trump said in an Oval Office signing ceremony flanked by top Tennessee and federal law enforcement officials. “Now, we did send the FBI in about four months ago to work, and it brought some of the numbers down, and they did a great job, but we&#8217;re sending in the big force now.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;Today, at the request of <a href="https://twitter.com/GovBillLee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovBillLee</a> of Tennessee&#8230; I&#8217;m signing a Presidential Memorandum to establish the Memphis Safe Task Force — and it&#8217;s very important because of the crime that&#8217;s going on.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/8fflcbietz">pic.twitter.com/8fflcbietz</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1967693731014099053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) credited FBI Director Kash Patel with the work done by his agency to drop crime in Memphis over the summer through “Operation Viper.”
“There have been over 500 arrests, there are over 100 indictments, and Memphis had the best stats they have had in years this past August, last month. It was the best August they have had, and it&#8217;s because of the work that&#8217;s been done,” Blackburn <a href="https://x.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/1967730702809706534">said</a>.
While the plan to combat crime in Memphis includes National Guard members posted in the city, it relies on partnerships between state, local, and federal law enforcement to combat crime. The law enforcement agencies involved <a href="https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2025/9/15/icymi--gov--lee--president-trump-meet-in-oval-office-to-discuss-strategic-mission-to-address-crime-in-memphis.html">include</a> the Drug Enforcement Agency, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and Memphis Police Department, according to Lee’s office.
During his remarks at the White House, Trump said that Chicago is “probably next” to receive a deployment from the National Guard after Memphis. It’s unclear how Trump plans to allocate federal resources to Chicago. Unlike in Tennessee, the president faces a hostile governor in Illinois who would almost certainly refuse to cooperate with any effort to send federal resources into Chicago.
“Mr. President, do not come to Chicago. You are neither wanted here nor needed here,” Pritzker <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/25/politics/jb-pritzker-trump-chicago">said</a> last month.

Trump Targets Memphis Crime With Strategy Proven In Washington, D.C.

Trump Targets Memphis For Next Crime Crackdown

Bill Lee

Crime

President Donald Trump announced on Friday morning that the National Guard will be deployed to crime-ridden Memphis, a Democrat-run city in deep-red Tennessee.
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to Memphis. I&#8217;m just announcing that now,&#8221; Trump told &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; during an interview in the studio. &#8220;National Guard and anybody else we need, and by the way, we&#8217;re bringing the military too if we need it.&#8221;
Trump has recently suggested that multiple cities — such as Chicago, Baltimore, and New Orleans — could be next on his list for a federal intervention to combat violent crime. His decision to deploy troops to Memphis means that the president will be working with a friendly state government. Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2025/09/10/gov-lee-activates-new-thp-surge-combat-crime-memphis-alongside-fbis-operation-viper/">said</a> on Wednesday that he is collaborating with the Trump administration on a plan to address crime in Memphis.
&#8220;For months, I have been in constant communication with the Trump Administration to develop a strategic plan to combat crime in Memphis, leveraging the full extent of both federal and state resources,&#8221; Lee said. &#8220;This multi-phased approach includes Operation Viper — an ongoing FBI mission with a dedicated task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement that has already made hundreds of arrests targeting the most violent offenders. Additionally, I have activated a new Tennessee Highway Patrol surge to support the Memphis Police Department that will include 50 more troopers, bringing our THP presence in Shelby County to record levels.&#8221;
Recently released FBI data on violent crime rates in 2024 showed that Memphis is the most violent city in the United States, NBC&#8217;s Nashville affiliate, WSMV 4, <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2025/09/05/this-tennessee-city-has-highest-violent-crime-rate-country-see-where-your-home-ranks/">reported</a> last week. Last year, Memphis saw 2,501 instances of violent crime for every 100,000 people. The violent crime rate in Memphis was far higher than that of other most violent cities in America. The next highest on the list was Oakland, California, with 1,925 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people, and Detroit was No. 3 with 1,781 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Trump has praised the work of the National Guard and federal law enforcement agents in Washington, D.C., after he sent them into the nation&#8217;s capital and directed the Metropolitan Police Department to crack down on violent crime. The president said he wants to address violent crime in cities across the United States.
&#8220;Almost every city that&#8217;s in trouble is run by Democrats,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966479556388200614">told</a> &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; on Friday morning. &#8220;Cashless bail is a disaster.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s recent moves to deploy the National Guard to D.C. and Los Angeles have been blasted by Democrats, who claim that the president&#8217;s efforts to address violent crime in the U.S. are a power grab. Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled that Trump broke the law when he deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles during violent anti-ICE protests in June.

Trump Announces Next ‘Deeply Troubled’ American City National Guard Will Clean Up

Executive

Trump Administration

Violent Crime

Three of the five Memphis, Tennessee, police officers who were charged in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in 2023 were acquitted of state charges on Wednesday.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith were found not guilty of all charges by a jury that deliberated for two days, Fox 13 Memphis <a href="https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/former-memphis-officers-not-guilty-of-all-charges-in-state-trial-related-to-tyre-nichols/article_64c2937c-fdfd-4714-88d9-a4b929d04376.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The former police officers faced charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct, and official oppression. While the former officers celebrated their acquittal on state charges, they still face sentencing after being convicted of obstruction of justice in a federal trial.
The trial, which was carried out in front of an out-of-town jury from Hamilton County, Tennessee, took nine days. Prosecutors argued that Bean and Smith had a duty to intervene after their fellow officers, Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin, began kicking Nichols in the head while he was on the ground. Haley arrived on the scene after Martin first kicked Nichols and then kicked Nichols&#8217; upper arm. According to prosecutors, Haley failed to step in and prevent escalating violence, adding that the former officer yelled, &#8220;Beat that man&#8217;s (expletive).&#8221; Haley&#8217;s defense attorney brought in a use-of-force expert during the trial who testified that Haley&#8217;s kick to Nichols&#8217; arm was an attempt to get him into handcuffs, not to continue any violence.
Nichols got into a confrontation with the Memphis Police officers after he was pulled over on January 7, 2023. Nichols attempted to flee after being pepper-sprayed and got close to his mother&#8217;s home before the officers soon caught up with him and took him to the ground. Video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udIwBuozE28&amp;list=PL8QBkS_wk32WqmDIbofsZCyneo1JbM3Tn&amp;index=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">footage</a> from a camera mounted on a nearby pole showed Nichols being kicked and punched while he was on the ground. The 29-year-old man died after being transported to a hospital.
&#8220;It&#8217;s hard for us to imagine how someone could say that none of the defendants were guilty of any of the charges,&#8221; said Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. &#8220;I think that any fair-minded person who watched the video would come to the conclusion that everybody there had some responsibility for Tyre Nichols&#8217; death.&#8221;
Some on the Left <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/27/opinions/tyre-nichols-memphis-police-department-jones/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pointed</a> to the beating death of Nichols to paint the police as racist, despite all five officers being black. Demonstrators marched in Memphis following Nichols&#8217; death, demanding an end to &#8220;police terror&#8221; and claiming that police &#8220;uphold white supremacy.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_917367" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-917367" class="wp-image-917367 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-1460352554-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-1460352554-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-1460352554-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-1460352554-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-1460352554-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-1460352554-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-1460352554-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-1460352554-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Demonstrators march in Memphis following the death of Tyre Nichols (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)</div>
All five officers accused of beating Nichols to death were fired from the Memphis Police Department shortly after his death. Bean and Smith face 20 years in federal prison after being found guilty of witness tampering. Haley could serve a life sentence in federal prison after being found guilty of using excessive force, being deliberately indifferent to Nichols&#8217; medical needs, witness tampering, and conspiracy to witness tamper, USA Today reported.
Martin and Mills Jr. both took plea deals and testified during the federal trial, while Mills also testified during the state trial. Prosecutors recommended a 40-year prison sentence for Martin and a 15-year sentence for Mills, according to Fox 13.  Sentencing for all five officers in the federal trial is expected to take place soon since the state trial has concluded.

Tyre Nichols

Three Former Memphis Police Officers Found Not Guilty In Beating Death Of Tyre Nichols

Police

trial

The Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a Tennessee law that protects children from viewing sexually explicit performances.
The court on Monday denied a petition from Friends of George’s, a Memphis-based theater group, that claimed a law banning sexually explicit performances in front of children violated the First Amendment. In July, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the law could take effect, overturning a federal judge’s decision to block the law.
“Another big win for Tennessee! Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Friends of George’s v. Mulroy,” Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said. “Free speech is a sacred American value, but the First Amendment does not require Tennessee to allow sexually explicit performances in front of children,” said AG Skrmetti. “We will continue to defend TN’s law and children.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Another big win for Tennessee! Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Friends of George’s v. Mulroy.
“Free speech is a sacred American value, but the First Amendment does not require Tennessee to allow sexually explicit performances in front of children,” said AG… <a href="https://t.co/Tqiyi3aXwz">pic.twitter.com/Tqiyi3aXwz</a>
— TN Attorney General (@AGTennessee) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGTennessee/status/1894126239918477600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who authored the legislation, also celebrated the news from the court.
“This court decision makes it clear that sexually explicit performances belong in spaces for adults, not in front of kids,&#8221; Johnson <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/article_fd7e722e-f38a-11ef-b6b9-9faac744f0a2.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;Just because an event is labeled ‘family-friendly’ doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for children or reflects Tennessee’s values. This law establishes a necessary legal standard, ensuring that what is truly family friendly is clearly defined.&#8221;
The law was passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature in 2023 and signed by GOP Governor Bill Lee. In June of 2023, a federal judge blocked the law from going into effect, saying that it was “unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad.”
According to a <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0003&amp;ga=113" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summary</a> of the law, it “creates an offense for a person who engages in an adult cabaret performance on public property or in a location where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult.”
The law passed after a series of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taxpayer-funded-tennessee-performing-arts-center-hosted-all-ages-drag-christmas-show-as-republicans-propose-banning-similar-events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> of drag performances across the state that were billed as “family friendly,” but were explicit in content.
The Supreme Court is currently considering another Tennessee law meant to protect children.
In December, the court heard arguments over Tennessee’s law that bans procedures like giving minors puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, and performing surgeries like removing the breasts of girls who identify as boys. The law was temporarily blocked by a federal judge after it was passed in 2023 before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the law to take effect.
After oral arguments on the case in December, the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-appears-poised-to-uphold-tennessee-law-protecting-kids-from-trans-procedures" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appears poised</a> to rule in Tennessee’s favor. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts, and Amy Coney Barrett all seemed skeptical of the claims made by the ACLU and the previous Biden administration.

Multiple Storms Dump Snow From Midwest To East Coast This Week

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Challenge To Tennessee Law Protecting Kids From Explicit Performances

Drag show

General

Supreme Court

U.S.

A man who lives in Ashland City, Tennessee, was arrested last week for allegedly saying he wanted to &#8220;burn down&#8221; the xAI supercomputer facility in Memphis because he &#8220;was very upset with Elon Musk and Donald Trump,&#8221; according to authorities.
Last Thursday, Ashland City police were contacted after friends and co-workers of 25-year-old Ethan Early, a Nashville EMT, expressed concern &#8220;about some things that he was saying regarding the politics,&#8221; Ashland City Police Department Sergeant Alexis Duncan said, according to <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/ashland-city-arrest-memphis-xai-facility/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WKRN</a>. Early was placed in the Cheatham County Jail and charged with an act of terrorism.
According to the arrest affidavit, Early told a friend that “he was going to burn down one of Elon Musk&#8217;s data centers using Thermite,” WKRN reported. The 25-year-old had also allegedly purchased components to make thermite, a pyrotechnic mixture of metal powder and metal oxide that can be used to make incendiary bombs.
The xAI facility in Memphis holds the largest artificial intelligence (AI) supercomputer in the world, according to <a href="https://venturebeat.com/ai/building-colossus-supermicros-groundbreaking-ai-supercomputer-built-for-elon-musks-xai/#:~:text=Building%20Colossus:%20Supermicro's%20groundbreaking%20AI%20supercomputer%20built%20for%20Elon%20Musk's%20xAI,-VB%20Staff&amp;text=The%20team%20at%20xAI%2C%20partnering,Supermicro%2C%20and%20produced%20by%20ServeTheHome.&amp;text=Here%20is%20a%20run%2Ddown,highlights%20for%20this%20massive%20undertaking." target="_blank" rel="noopener">VentureBeat</a>. The supercomputer, named Colossus, is mostly powered by Nvidia processing chips and used for storage and networking to train and power Musk&#8217;s AI chatbot, Grok.
Early allegedly told police that he had become &#8220;too wrapped up in politics&#8221; and that his friends ultimately talked him out of going through with the act of terrorism. He added that he was ashamed he had gotten &#8220;so carried away,&#8221; according to the affidavit. Ashland City authorities said that the components to make thermite were thrown into a dumpster last week, adding that they pose no risk since the chemicals were never combined.
Musk, Trump&#8217;s most powerful and public adviser, has been criticized by Democrats and the legacy media over his influence on the Trump administration and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team seeking to drastically slash government spending. Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114047677181856301" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last week that Musk &#8220;is doing a great job&#8221; but added that he wants to see the SpaceX and Tesla CEO &#8220;get more aggressive.&#8221;
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/musk-gives-federal-workers-another-chance-to-justify-employment-or-be-fired">Musk Gives Federal Workers &#8216;Another Chance&#8217; To Justify Employment Or Be Fired</a>

Elon Musk’s xAI to Develop New Supercomputer in Memphis

Tennessee Man Arrested For Alleged Plot To ‘Burn Down’ Elon Musk’s Memphis Supercomputer Facility

Elon Musk

Nearly 3,000 illegal immigrants were arrested in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> for crimes ranging from murder to rape during the last three months of 2024, according to a report compiled by the state’s district attorneys.
The <a href="https://www.tndagc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/PC998-Immigration-Report-2025-FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> released last week by the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference found that around 2,719 illegal immigrants from over 92 different countries were arrested from October to December 2024. Sent to GOP Governor Bill Lee and House Speaker Cameron Sexton, the report sheds light on how the border crisis has led to increased crime in the Volunteer State.
Compiled as a result of a new state law requiring law enforcement to report on the arrests of illegal immigrants, the report found that 447 of the estimated total 3,854 charges were violent offenses. The data only included 73 counties since the other 22 did not submit their statistics.
There were a total of 11 homicides reported across the state, including three cases of first degree murder, one case of second degree murder, and seven instances of vehicular homicide.
Other violent offenses reported include rape of a child (3), aggravated rape (6), continuous sexual abuse of a child (2), aggravated kidnapping (3), especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor (1), statutory rape (9), aggravated sexual battery (6), aggravated robbery (6), aggravated domestic assault (27), sexual exploitation of a minor (8), robbery (2), and assault on a law enforcement officer (4).
The most common offenses illegal immigrants were arrested on were driving under the influence (654), driving without a license 549, traffic violations (533), domestic assault (154), public intoxication (147), failure to appear (150), probation violation (91), open container (83), and aggravated assault (80).
<div id="attachment_872131" style="width: 1949px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-872131" class="size-full wp-image-872131" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM.png" alt="" width="1939" height="872" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM.png 1939w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM-300x135.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM-1024x461.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM-768x345.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/Screen-Shot-2025-02-05-at-2.36.24-PM-1536x691.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1939px) 100vw, 1939px" />TN District Attorneys report.</div>
Results of the charges were reported as a mixed bag with 136 cases still open, 37 dropped by prosecutors, 85 cases dismissed, 128 found guilty, and 198 with no record indicating the outcome.
Most of the arrests were made in the cities of Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, and the counties surrounding those cities. Surprisingly, Shelby County, home to Memphis, reported just 59 arrests of illegal immigrants.
The greatest number of illegal immigrants came from Mexico (892), though a significant number came from Guatemala (564), Honduras (332), Venezuela (130), and El Salvador (86).
Over the past few years, illegal immigrants have been arrested in Tennessee for a number of high-profile crimes, including the murder of popular Nashville restaurant owner Matt Carney. Carney died from injuries after police say an illegal immigrant struck him with his truck in the parking lot of his restaurant. Carney’s death <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-decries-vicious-illegal-immigrant-suspected-of-murdering-nashville-restaurant-owner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drew the attention</a> of then-candidate Donald Trump, who has warned of an illegal immigrant crime wave stemming from lax border policies implemented by the Biden administration.
Last week, Tennessee <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-passes-bill-to-assist-trumps-illegal-immigration-crackdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> sweeping legislation during a special session intended to help carry out Trump’s mass deportation plans.

Federal Agents Target Immigrant Gangs On Long Island

New Data Show How Much Crime Illegal Immigrants Committed In Red State

Illegal Immigation

Nashville

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music">Elvis Presley</a>’s granddaughter Riley Keough is taking action against the impending foreclosure sale of the King’s legendary Graceland estate.
The 34-year-old actress filed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lawsuit">lawsuit</a> against Naussany Investments &amp; Private Lending LLC in an attempt to block them from selling the property in what she’s calling a “fraudulent” move. Keough is the heir to Graceland and trustee of the Promenade Trust, per <a href="https://people.com/elvis-granddaughter-riley-keough-graceland-foreclosure-sale-attempt-fraudulent-8651540">People</a>.
According to the 60-page lawsuit filed on May 20, Naussany Investments is claiming that Keough’s late mother, Lisa Marie Presley, borrowed $3.8 million and gave them a deed using the Graceland property as security for the loan prior to her death in 2023. 
Keough argues in court docs that “the note and deed of trust are fraudulent and unenforceable.”
“The purported note and deed of trust are products of fraud and those individuals who were involved in the creation of such documents are believed to be guilty of the crime of forgery,” Keough states in court docs, the outlet noted.
&#8220;On information and belief, Naussany Investments &amp; Private Lending LLC is not a real entity. Naussany Investments &amp; Private Lending LLC appears to be a false entity created for the purpose of defrauding the Promenade Trust (the trust of Keough and formerly of Lisa Marie Presley), the heirs of Lisa Marie Presley, or any purchaser of Graceland at a non-judicial sale,&#8221; the lawsuit alleges.
Keough’s attorneys claim that Lisa Marie’s signature was forged and that she never met the notary who allegedly witnessed her signing the deed.
Keough’s grandmother, Elvis’ ex-wife Priscilla Presley, also weighed in on the situation. She <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7N1a7yNki4/">shared</a> a short video clip of Graceland on her Instagram along with a text overlay saying, “It’s a scam!” 
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1716386093359000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1H2hddzGHMov4jKnDi2Pr4">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Elvis <a href="https://www.graceland.com/history-of-graceland#:~:text=In%20the%20spring%20of%201957,armloads%20of%20gold%20record%20awards.">purchased</a> the 14-acre Memphis property in the spring of 1957 when he was 22, paying just over $100,000 for the mansion and grounds. The rock and roll legend spent the following years renovating and expanding the property and lived there until his death in 1977. 
It was opened to the public as a museum in 1982 and attracts more than 650,000 visitors annually. Elvis and other family members, including Lisa Marie, are buried on the house&#8217;s grounds.
This is not the first financial dispute in the Presley family. In 2023, Keough agreed to pay Priscilla $1.4 million in exchange for control of the family trust, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elvis-granddaughter-agrees-to-pay-grandmother-massive-sum-to-control-lisa-maries-trust">reported</a>. Prior to the settlement, which they reached privately without litigation, there were rumors of a family feud over the money. 
“As a family, we are pleased that we resolved this together,” Priscilla said in a statement at the time while confirming she never formally sued her granddaughter.
Lisa Marie had at one point retained full control of Elvis&#8217; estate, which today is estimated to be worth around $1 billion. She sold 85% of her stake in the company in 2005 for $100 million, per <a href="https://www.insideedition.com/lisa-marie-presley-will-death-elvis-graceland-estate">Inside Edition</a>. That share is now worth about $850 million.
Keough was passed control of the 15% stake the family retained and full ownership of the Graceland property upon Lisa Marie&#8217;s death last year.

Graceland

Elvis’ Granddaughter Says Upcoming Graceland Foreclosure Sale Is ‘Fraudulent’

Elvis' Granddaughter Says Upcoming Graceland Foreclosure Sale Is 'Fraudulent'

Elvis Presley

Entertainment

Lawsuit

Music

Real estate

The 18-year-old accused of killing a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> police officer and injuring two others when they were responding to a suspicious vehicle call early Friday morning was out of jail on felony charges at the time of the incident.
While responding to the call, investigators say Memphis police officer Joseph McKinney was killed by Jaylen Lobley, who was in the vehicle and fired out at the officers. The other officers with McKinney <a href="https://wreg.com/news/local/two-memphis-police-officers-shot-rushed-to-hospital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returned fire</a> and two were injured by gunfire. One officer was hospitalized in non-critical condition and one received medical attention at the scene of the shooting.
Lobley was also killed during the shootout as police took two other suspects into custody as well, including a 17-year-old who was in critical condition. Lobley had been released from jail without bond by a Shelby County judge after being hit with weapon and theft felony charges last month, <a href="https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/crime/man-mpd-officer-killed-shooting-released-from-jail-by-shelby-county-judge/522-42482bcb-d8b3-4124-a32c-855c48a807f1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a report from ABC24. He was facing two counts of motor vehicle theft, unlawful possession of a weapon, and multiple vandalism charges. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
SAY HIS NAME: Officer Joseph McKinney
He was gunned down in Memphis, TN by a criminal who was arrested just a few weeks earlier for possession of a firearm and was released without bail.
You won’t see this story on the MSM. <a href="https://t.co/tTTwG5FLDc">pic.twitter.com/tTTwG5FLDc</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1778847975537881377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
According to the report, Lobley was arrested on March 5 for car theft and police found him in possession of a handgun with an illegal modifier. The report said he admitted to police that he had stolen two cars. On March 7, a judge allowed him to go free without bond on his own recognizance. ABC24 reported that the judicial commissioner who approved the release was Christopher Ingram.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy <a href="https://www.scdag.com/news-releases/da-mulroy-issues-statement-on-officer-involved-shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> that his office had “strongly argued against lowering the bond” for Lobley, “citing the defendant&#8217;s danger to the community.”
​​Memphis Police Association President Matt Cunningham ripped into the decision to allow Lobley back on the street.
“The suspect in this shooting was released from jail on his own recognizance — he got right back out on the street and armed himself, and got into a shooting with an officer who died, and he lost his life as well — and that’s tragic, too,” he <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/memphis-police-officer-teen-suspect-killed-early-morning-shootout-rcna147560" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> NBC News. “If he had been kept in jail, he would be alive himself. So that’s the situation here in Shelby County, we have to do something about the revolving door at our jail.”
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1712932862202000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0plT8RRdMy9XUpIhocnjQS">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee offered his prayers and support for McKinney’s family on Friday.
“Maria &amp; I are deeply saddened by the death of Memphis Police Officer Joseph McKinney while serving in the line of duty,” he posted on X. “Our prayers are with Officer McKinney’s family, the recovering officers &amp; the Memphis law enforcement community.”
Memphis, which has one of the <a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-city-rankings/cities-with-most-murders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worst</a> murder rates in the United States, had nearly 400 homicides in 2023.

Police car – fast moving with bright flashing lights

Man Suspected Of Killing Memphis Cop Was Out Of Jail On Felony Charges

Bail Reform

Policewoman at night with flashlight, emergency lights

Police Departments Obliterate Fitness Requirements In Order To Recruit More Women

Menu