Throughout my 34-year career as an attorney, I have stood before every level of the judiciary, including the Tennessee Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. I have successfully argued complex constitutional cases that resulted in critical reversals. I don’t mention this to boast; I mention it because those experiences gave me a profound, bone-deep reverence for the United States Constitution. The protections outlined in that document are not technicalities or hurdles designed to let the guilty walk free. They are the bedrock of our free society, ensuring that the government behaves fairly and that the rule of law applies equally to everyone, regardless of who they are or how much money they have in their pockets.

But let’s clear up a common misconception that often divides our community: protecting constitutional rights and maintaining public safety are not opposing goals. In fact, they are entirely dependent on one another. A justice system that cuts corners or tramples on basic rights is inherently fragile. When mistakes are made due to a lack of constitutional oversight, cases get overturned on appeal years later, victims are forced to relive their traumas in retrials, and the public loses faith in the very institutions meant to protect them. True public safety relies on a system that gets it right the first time.

When I take the bench as your Criminal Court Judge, my courtroom will be a place of absolute procedural integrity. Every individual who walks through those doors—whether they are a victim seeking justice, a witness performing their civic duty, or a defendant facing serious charges—will be treated with dignity, fairness, and equal justice under the law. We will follow the rules of evidence strictly. We will respect constitutional protections without exception.

Yet, let me be explicitly clear: a deep respect for the Constitution will never translate into a lack of resolve on crime. My focus will always remain fixed on community accountability. When the state proves its case beyond a reasonable doubt within the constitutional framework, the consequences will be firm, fair, and decisive. We can protect the rights of the accused while firmly prioritizing the safety of our families. By running an efficient, constitutionally sound, and legally precise courtroom, we don’t just resolve cases; we restore faith in the system, provide closure to victims, and build a dependable foundation for a safer Memphis.