In light of the recent attack at an East Memphis Kroger store, District Attorney General Amy Weirich spoke about deadly force against juveniles at a press conference Tuesday. Weirich said Tennessee law allows people to use deadly force to protect themselves or others if their lives are at risk but that issue is not cut and dry, as the country has seen in several highly publicized incidents. Saturday night, a large group of juveniles attacked three people and vandalized a fourth person’s car outside a Kroger store. WREG has more.

The Tennessee Supreme Court plans to announce its choice for Tennessee Attorney General and Reporter at 11 a.m. Monday in Nashville. “We have remained true to our commitment of a transparent process and look forward to sharing with the citizens of Tennessee who will serve as their Attorney General,” Chief Justice Sharon Lee said. The six candidates in the running are: Eugene N. Bulso Jr., Brentwood; Robert E. Cooper Jr., Nashville; Mark A. Fulks, Johnson City; James Douglas Overbey, Maryville; Herbert H. Slatery III, Nashville; and William E. Young, Brentwood. The court completed personal interviews on Tuesday and is waiting for detailed background checks before making a final decision. View the full press release. 

The city of Memphis has received two grants by the Department of Justice to combat gangs and domestic violence, U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton announced yesterday in a press release. Totaling $900,000, the “Grant to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders” will help enforce protection orders and protect victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. “Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant” is a $148,885 grant to reduce gang and gun violence locally. The Memphis Flyer has more.

The Supreme Court has formally added gay marriage cases to the justices' agenda for their closed-door conference on Sept. 29. The action does not mean that the court will decide that day to hear state appeals of lower court rulings that struck down bans on same-sex marriage, but the late September conference will be the first time the justices have the issue before them. Appeals have been filed from Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. WRCB has more from the Associated Press.

Hamilton County Public Defender Steve Smith has already made some extensive changes in the public defender's office after defeating longtime Public Defender Ardena Garth, the Chattanoogan reports. Smith named veteran attorney Mike Little as the deputy public defender and hired Kevin Loper, Jay Underwood and Manzura Talipova as new assistant public defenders. Those no longer with the office include Rick Mabe, Karla Gothard, Mary Ann Green and Jane Buffaloe.

The Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association and the Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police have joined the growing list of statewide organizations supporting the passage of Amendment 2, the Crossville Chronicle reports. “Amendment 2 brings new clarity and accountability to the process of selecting Tennessee’s Supreme Court and appellate court judges,” said Fraternal Order of Police President Johnny Crumby. “We need the best judges, not the best politicians. Amendment 2 will help ensure that we get the fair and impartial judges that Tennesseans want and need.”

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands is now accepting applications for a lawyer to work out of Nashville's Shade Tree Clinic, a medical legal partnership clinic that is staffed by medical students from Vanderbilt University and Meharry Medical College. The Tennessean reports that the position is being vacated by Chay Sengkhounmany who is going into private practice. Download a job description.

U.S. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz said yesterday that his staff is routinely blocked from getting access to documents it needs for audits and reviews of the department and its law enforcement agencies. The interference causes delays in investigations and has several times required the intervention of Attorney General Eric Holder or his deputy to ensure that the records are ultimately turned over, Horowitz told members of Congress. After the hearing, the FBI denied that it hindered investigations and said it has worked closely with the inspector general. WRCB has more from the Associated Press.

The Rutherford County Judicial Building was evacuated late Tuesday afternoon after a potentially hazardous material was reported. Authorities were called to the building, located on the square in downtown Murfreesboro, after an employee on the third floor, who was checking the mail, suffered some sort of allergic reaction. Immediately after the call went out, the entire building was evacuated as a precaution. It was later determined the clerk's symptoms were not caused by the mail, WKRN reports.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) A. William Mackie, Perry H. Piper, Gregg L. Sullivan and Jeffrey E. Theodore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Tennessee were four of the 243 Department of Justice employees recognized by Attorney General Eric Holder at the 30th annual Director’s Awards Ceremony in Washington D.C. U.S. Attorney Bill Killian, who oversees the four, praised them saying, “The awards given to these particular AUSAs highlight their accomplishments and achievements in cases involving national security concerns, the highest priority for the Department of Justice. It is gratifying that these AUSAs are recognized nationally for their exceptional work.” The Chattanoogan has more.