Prosecutors go after Memphis gangs in novel way
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Prosecutors in Memphis are using a novel approach to tackle street gangs: They’re calling them a nuisance.
Using a state law that has never been used in Memphis, Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich and Memphis City Attorney Herman Morris have filed a nuisance petition against a gang called the Riverside Rollin’ 90’s Neighborhood Crips.
According to The Commercial Appeal (http://bit.ly/16D6ENi ), Judge Larry Potter on Monday signed an order for injunctive relief against the gang, which has been accused of robberies, dealing drugs and using violence in a south Memphis neighborhood. Police received about 1,200 calls with at least one shooting call per day in a 10-month span in the neighborhood.
Potter declared a 4.6-square-mile area of south Memphis as a “Safety Zone,” issuing rules aimed at limiting gang activity.
