On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, FOX13 reported that a police report provided critical details regarding the shooting of a law clerk, which prompted Judge Mark Norris to recuse himself from the high-profile federal case involving three former Memphis Police officers charged in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols.
Judge Norris withdrew from the case just days before he was scheduled to sentence the defendants, Justin Smith, Tadarrius Bean, and Demetrius Haley, who were previously convicted of obstruction of justice. Haley was also found guilty of using excessive force that resulted in injury. A new trial has since been ordered by Judge Sheryl Lipman, who is now overseeing the case.
The recusal is linked to an incident where a law clerk employed by Norris was shot during an apparent robbery. According to Judge Lipman’s order, Norris informed federal investigators that he suspected one of the former officers was connected to a gang involved in the shooting. He mentioned that the law clerk had been seen in court and that he believed the gang was responsible for the attack.
The police report obtained by FOX13 outlines the events surrounding the shooting, which occurred early on October 7, 2024. At approximately 2:20 a.m., Memphis Police responded to a report of a robbery at the law clerk’s residence on Alexander Street, located near the Memphis Country Club. Upon arrival, officers discovered the law clerk suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. He was critically injured and subsequently taken to a medical facility.
The victim reported that four individuals entered his home uninvited, and one of them fired a gunshot before they fled the scene in his 2017 Honda Civic. The vehicle was later found abandoned nearby. A witness recounted observing two individuals running toward the law clerk’s driveway and saw a silver car leaving the premises before the suspects switched vehicles and escaped.
In connection with the incident, a 14-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with especially aggravated burglary, theft of property worth between $10,000 and $30,000, and aggravated assault. While one individual was detained shortly after the shooting, it remains unclear if that person is the same juvenile now facing charges. The Memphis Police Department stated that its investigation is ongoing.
Source: FOX13
