Rev. Clemmie Livingston Jr. is the 71-year-old pastor of New Zionfield Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. On Feb. 25, Livingston attempted to stop thugs from stealing a car just feet away from the doors of his church. One of the thugs shot him in the face while driving away, leaving the pastor for dead.
After multiple surgeries, Livingston told WREG-TV, “Laying there, I kept saying to myself that I’ll be dead in a little while. Well, what would a person say when they bleeding in the manner that I was bleeding?”
“While I was down on my knees, let me tell you what [God] said. He said to me, ‘Stop trying to die and start back living,'” said the pastor. “In my spirit and in my heart, I know that Jesus brought me through this.”
Gwendoline Livingston, the pastor’s wife, indicated Friday that Livingston is still wearing a face brace and may have to either undergo a bone graft or have a metal plate inserted in his jaw.
“I am still not able to eat like normal people, and, of course, my bone is still shattered down there,” he told WHBQ-TV.
The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office has given the pastor one more thing to be sore about.
R’Shunio Greer, 18, was arrested in May in connection to unrelated car theft and aggravated assault cases. WHBQ reported that investigators found photos of Greer in the victim’s 2019 Corvette. He allegedly admitted to being at the scene of the robbery when the pastor was shot and driving one of two Camaros spotted at the scene by witnesses. The same Camaro was later wrecked during a police chase.
Greer was slapped with various charges including aggravated robbery and theft of property.
However, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office — helmed by Steve Mulroy, a Democrat with a reputation for being soft on criminals who has reportedly received donations from Soros-linked organizations — dropped all but the theft charge against Greer in Livingston’s case.
‘I don’t let things disappoint me such as this.’
Mulroy’s office tried to blame the dismissal of the charges on witnesses failing to show up in court, but the pastor insisted that was simply not true, reported WHBQ.
“I was stunned when they said there were not any witnesses there, knowing that we were there,” said the pastor. “That was the thing that shocked me.”
“I don’t let things disappoint me such as this,” said Livingston. “I feel like the judicial system, they do what they want to do anyway.”
After the pastor refuted the claim about witnesses showing up in the press, Mulroy’s office effectively confirmed it had misled the public, indicating the aggravated robbery charge had been dropped despite witnesses having been present for the hearing.
Livingston indicated he will continue to pray about the situation, holding out hope that the accomplices referenced in Greer’s statement will be brought in. The pastor expressed an interest in the rehabilitation of his attackers while in custody.
Livingston’s case is far from the only one in Shelby County in which Mulroy’s office has sought to let off criminals lightly. Mulroy recently indicated he would lean toward rehabilitation as opposed to incarceration for felons caught with illegal firearms, citing the need to address racial disparities.
Tennessee state Sen. Brent Taylor (R) told WMC-TV in a statement, “In a city plagued by gun violence, the thought that our DA will not aggressively prosecute felons in possession of a firearm is not only nonsensical, but it is dangerous. Our county is being targeted by restorative justice scheming groups because they know our DA is weak, compliant, and acquiescent. Not only is it harming our community, but it’s harming law enforcement across the state.”
Taylor notified Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R) last month of his intent to remove Mulroy.
“Public welfare demanding it, causes for such removal will be set forth in the Senate Joint Resolution, but shall include ‘dereliction of duty’ for failing to properly prosecute convicted felons in possession of a firearm,” Taylor said in his letter.
McNally responded with words of encouragement, indicating he “wholeheartedly” supports the removal effort, reported the Tennessee Lookout.
“DA Mulroy’s record of refusal to prosecute laws he does not personally care for is long-standing and clear. I believe it is time for him to go,” said McNally.
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