MEMPHIS, Tenn — Monday, Shelby County Chief Public Defender Phyllis Aluko appeared before members of the state legislature, asking for almost $2.5 million in state funding to address staffing concerns.
Monday, the Tennessee General Assembly’s Shelby County Legislative Delegation began its annual retreat in Memphis, where members listen to local agencies regarding the various needs their departments face.
That includes the Shelby County Public Defender’s Office, which the Daily Memphian reports is so short-staffed, they’re struggling to handle first-degree murder cases.
“Whenever you hear a public defender office announce that they're no longer capable of handling murder in the first degree cases, I mean, that's got to be a wakeup call to all of us,” said Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy.
Aluko did not comment on the Daily Memphian story and refused to speak with ABC24 at all.
Aluko told the Shelby County Legislative Delegation that an old state statute left the Shelby County Public Defender’s Office with less funding than their counterparts across the state.
She said it would take a recuring 2 million, four hundred thousand-plus dollars to close the gap and help them hire and keep the best attorneys.
“This is not a one-time (roughly) $2.5 million,” said Rep. John Gillespie, the Shelby County Delegation Chairman. “And the D.A.’s Office needs more money as well.”
District Attorney Mulroy said the county administration recently provided for some significant pay raises for assistant public defenders.
“I think that may help with any problems they may have in recruitment or retention so that they can fill those vacancies and have the capacity to do those first-degree murder cases,” he said.
Rep. Gillespie’s hope is that the local government can ultimately find a solution.
Aluko is also asking the legislature to do away with the statute that causes the funding disparity, but Gillespie said that will take time.