Urge Tennessee NOT to Delay Justice for Pervis Payne
Urge D.A. Weirich and A.G. Slatery Not to Delay Justice for Pervis
On Jan. 31, 2022, the Shelby County Criminal Court ordered that Pervis Payne’s two life sentences, and a related 30-year sentence, would run concurrently, which means that Mr. Payne will be eligible for parole consideration within five years. District Attorney Amy Weirich has since appealed this decision.
“The plain fact is, Pervis Payne is no threat to society and he never was,” said Kelley Henry, attorney for Pervis. “Pervis had never been arrested before and has always maintained his innocence. Over two days, the court heard from 19 witnesses on Pervis’ behalf, including three wardens and a corrections officer, who testified that Pervis cared for him when he was attacked in prison and waited with him until medics arrived. Pervis’ prison record, which spans over 2,700 pages, is unblemished. Prison officials also testified that Pervis will qualify for the lowest security level possible because of his perfect record.”