'This is unacceptable': In District Attorney General's Office, 10% of attorneys, supervisors are Black

The current Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office is made up of only 30% Black employees, according to data released by Steve Mulroy, a Democratic candidate for Shelby County District Attorney General.

And, racial disparities among staffing become even starker among attorneys and attorney supervisors in the office, who are 10% Black and 90% white, according to interviews with people in the office, Mulroy said in a news conference Tuesday.

In a county that’s 54% Black or African American and 40% white, “This is unacceptable,” Mulroy said.

“It has been unacceptable for years and it needs to change,” he said. “I don’t think I need to spell out why it needs to change. I think it’s pretty obvious.”

The release of data came with a commitment by Mulroy to, if elected, increase racial diversity in the office.

Mulroy is a professor law at the University of Memphis. A former Shelby County Commissioner, he also is a former federal prosecutor and former civil rights litigator with the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.

In the primary, he is running against Attorney Janika White and Attorney Linda Harris, an independent arbitrator and former federal prosecutor

The winner of the Democratic primary, which is May 3, is expected to face Incumbent Amy Weirich, a Republican, in the general election August 4.

In a written statement, Weirich said that the data released by Mulroy was not accurate and that 31% of her 223 employees are racial minorities. Mulroy, in his data, said her office employed 148 personnel.

"As the first female District Attorney in Shelby County, I have worked hard to hire people who best reflect the community and I'm proud to have increased the percentage of minorities in the office since I was elected," Weirich said. "More minorities hold supervisory positions than any other time in the history of our office. It is indeed hypocritical that Professor Mulroy, a white male who chose to run against three women, is making diversity his platform. Electing him alone sends a disturbing message that women shouldn't be in leadership roles."

Weirich’s office’s history of transferring youth to adult court was described in 2018 by a federal monitor as unconstitutional and a “toxic combination for African-American youth.” A group of advocates last month asked for a racial equity audit of her office.

At his news conference, Mulroy was backed by the Rev. LaSimba Gray, pastor emeritus of New Sardis Baptist Church in Memphis, City Councilwoman Patrice Robinson and City Councilman Jeff Warren.

More: 36 Afghan refugees headed to Memphis; local governments pledge support

'You do you, boo': Nurse practitioner, podcaster connects with younger women with relatable, frank talk

Steve Mulroy, a candidate for Shelby County District Attorney General, stands with the Rev. LaSimba Gray, Memphis City Councilwoman Patrice Robinson and Memphis City Councilman Jeff Warren during a press conference Tuesday April 5, 2022.
Steve Mulroy, a candidate for Shelby County District Attorney General, stands with the Rev. LaSimba Gray, Memphis City Councilwoman Patrice Robinson and Memphis City Councilman Jeff Warren during a press conference Tuesday April 5, 2022.

“After 54 years fighting for justice, equality and equity, it’s no question that these are some damning statistics that need to be addressed immediately, not only in terms of representation, but look at the economic impact,” Gray said. “Your clients are 65% African American and your workforce is 90% Caucasian. Where does the money go? We know the answer to that. That’s why I’m supporting Steve Mulroy.”

Mulroy, a white man, is running in the primary against two Black women.

He said it’s important in the primary for voters to choose someone who is likely to win in August, who has the most impressive record to push for change and who has the county experience to manage bureaucratic resistance to change.

“I’ve fought for diversity my entire career, starting out with voting rights work and actual literal representation of minorities in the Department of Justice,” Mulroy said. “I continued that in the Civil Rights Division and throughout my entire time as a law faculty member and a county commissioner. I’ve already pledged to promote diversity in hiring, recruitment and promotion in the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.”

Mulroy said he has prioritized diversity while on faculty recruitment committees at the University of Memphis Law School and whenever contracting with companies while on the Shelby County Commission.

There are no “rigid, hard quotas” for what percentage of racial minorities the district attorney’s office should employ, Mulroy said, but he would “love to see some sort of rough proportionality between the population that is covered and the makeup of the attorneys in the district attorney’s office.”

Robinson, who is a Black woman, said she believes Mulroy can use the role of district attorney to prepare someone to take the job after him who “looks just like me.”

“It is so important to know you are represented by your community in a like manner. What he’s saying to us today is currently we do not have representation for African American people in the district attorney’s office,” Robinson said. “In a community where we know that we can do the job, I believe that because of Steve Mulroy’s background, because he’s worked for civil rights issues, that he can help point us in the right direction.”

Katherine Burgess covers county government and religion. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com, 901-529-2799 or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Steve Mulroy releases data on lack of diversity in district attorney's office