It's a rare occurrence, but the expulsion of two Black lawmakers from Tennessee's Republican-led House highlights a new level of "democratic dysfunction," a constitutional law expert tells NPR.
Jones, one of two Black Democrats expelled from the state House, tells NPR he's keeping his options open and would "most definitely" demand his seat back if local officials reappointed him to it.
The Republican-led House voted to remove Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville after a protest on the floor of the chamber over gun laws. The House has yet to determine the fate of two other Democrats.
A car crash killed six young people, including a 1-year-old infant, after they were ejected from their vehicle early Sunday on a freeway in middle Tennessee, authorities said.
Daniel Wadham and Danny Randolph, members of the Tennessee National Guard, died in the crash in Madison County, Ala., on Wednesday. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Body cam footage of the brutal arrest in Memphis of the Black man has sparked protests in several cities. The five ex-officers involved face a litany of charges, including second-degree murder.
Nichols died on Jan. 10, three days after he was stopped by Memphis police for reckless driving. Five Memphis police officers have been fired following an investigation into Nichols' death.
Tennessee expects to soon disenroll about 300,000 people from Medicaid. But families like the Lesters have been entangled in bureaucracy and clerical mistakes, causing them to unfairly lose coverage.