My Dear Watson

The Tennessee Supreme Court has suspended a former prosecutor convicted of a federal offense pending final discipline.

A DOJ press release describes the case

Glenda Adams, 49, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the federal statute known as the Travel Act. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., United States Attorney announced the guilty plea today.

According to information presented in court, between February 2017 and October 2020, Glenda Adams was an Assistant District Attorney (ADA) employed by the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office in Memphis, Tennessee. During that time, a local attorney paid Adams to provide him with law enforcement restricted information contained in traffic accident reports.

Automobile accidents occurring in the Memphis city limits were typically investigated by the Memphis Police Department (MPD). The Crash Reports generated by the MPD investigations were uploaded into a law enforcement database known as “Watson.” Access to Watson was limited to law enforcement officials. Subsequently, the Crash Reports were available for purchase from the City of Memphis. Through her employment as an Assistant District Attorney, Adams had access to Watson and the Crash Reports.

In exchange for payments from the attorney, Adams would access MPD Crash Reports from the Watson system, then provide those reports to the attorney in exchange for cash payment. The local attorney would use the Crash Reports to solicit accident victims identified in the Reports and offer them legal representation.

On February 23, 2022, Adams pled guilty.

(Mike Frisch)