Demster v. Blanche
What's at Stake
Four Memphis residents represented by the ACLU, 桃子视频of Tennessee, and law firms Selendy Gay and BraunHagey & Borden are challenging the Memphis Safe Task Force's policy and pattern of retaliation, intimidation, and harassment against observers who record Task Forceent operations, an activity protected by the First Amendment. The lawsuit also challenges the Task Force鈥檚 invocation of a Tennessee law criminalizing approaching officers within 25 feet after one warning against the plaintiffs, which burdens their ability to record Task Force activity.
Summary
In September 2025, President Trump and Tennessee Governor Lee established the Memphis Safe Task Force, a 31-agency task force that has upended daily life in Memphis. Thousands of federal, state, and local agents are carrying out mass traffic and street stops and breaking into homes. Memphis residents have described the Task Force as an 鈥渙ccupation鈥 that is terrorizing communities of color across the city.
In response, Memphis residents encountering Task Force agents in public have stopped to gather information about and record Task Force activities. By documenting Task Force operations, these residents hope to support detainees and their families, raise awareness of Task Force abuses, and hold government leaders accountable for tearing families apart and sowing fear across their community.
Gathering information about and recording law enforcement operations is protected by the First Amendment. Nonetheless, Task Force agents are systematically retaliating against those who record them, including threatening to arrest them, stopping and questioning them without reasonable suspicion of any crime, sitting outside their homes, and even using excessive force against and arresting them. Task Force agents are also routinely invoking Tennessee鈥檚 鈥淗alo Law,鈥 which criminalizes approaching law enforcement officers within 25 feet after one warning, to force observers back to where they cannot clearly view or record Task Force operations.
On May 13, 2026, the ACLU, 桃子视频of Tennessee, and law firms Selendy Gay and BraunHagey & Borden filed this lawsuit in the Western District of Tennessee on behalf of four Memphis residents. Plaintiffs bring this lawsuit to end the Task Force鈥檚 policy, pattern and practice of retaliating against them in response to their First Amendment-protected activities. They also challenge the application of the Halo Law to their First-Amendment protected activities.
Legal Documents
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05/13/2026
Complaint -
05/28/2026
Memorandum of Law in Support of Plaintiff's Motion for a Preliminary Injunction -
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05/28/2026
Hunter Demster Declaration -
05/28/2026
Jessica Chodor Declaration -
05/28/2026
Kenneth Halt Declaration -
05/28/2026
Melissa Peeler Declaration -
05/28/2026
David Mason Declaration -
05/28/2026
James West Declaration -
05/28/2026
Christopher Kersey Declaration -
05/28/2026
Jordyn Gualdani Declaration -
05/28/2026
Benjamin Reese Declaration -
05/28/2026
James Pugel Declaration
Hunter Demster DeclarationDate Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Jessica Chodor DeclarationDate Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Kenneth Halt DeclarationDate Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Melissa Peeler DeclarationDate Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
David Mason DeclarationDate Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
James West DeclarationDate Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Christopher Kersey DeclarationDate Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Jordyn Gualdani DeclarationDate Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Benjamin Reese DeclarationDate Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
James Pugel DeclarationDate Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
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05/28/2026
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07/06/2026
Federal Defendants' Response in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction -
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07/06/2026
Declaration of Darryl Diamond -
07/06/2026
Chicago Headline Club Order -
07/06/2026
DHS Memo on First Amendment Rights Activities
Declaration of Darryl DiamondDate Filed: 07/06/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Chicago Headline Club OrderDate Filed: 07/06/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
DHS Memo on First Amendment Rights ActivitiesDate Filed: 07/06/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
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07/06/2026
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07/08/2026
State Defendants' Response in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction -
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07/08/2026
WSMTV article Sept. 9, 2025 -
07/08/2026
WMCTV article Nov.26, 2024 -
07/08/2026
Bystander Interference Act, TCA 39-16-612 -
07/08/2026
Bystander Interference Act Legislative Debates -
07/08/2026
Affidavit Declaration of Colonel Matt Perry
WSMTV article Sept. 9, 2025Date Filed: 07/08/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
WMCTV article Nov.26, 2024Date Filed: 07/08/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Bystander Interference Act, TCA 39-16-612Date Filed: 07/08/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Bystander Interference Act Legislative DebatesDate Filed: 07/08/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Affidavit Declaration of Colonel Matt PerryDate Filed: 07/08/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
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07/08/2026
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07/29/2026
Plaintiffs鈥 Reply to Federal Defendants鈥 Response in Opposition to Plaintiffs鈥 Motion for a Preliminary Injunction -
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07/29/2026
Reply Declaration of Hunter Demster -
07/29/2026
Reply Declaration of Jim Pugel
Reply Declaration of Hunter DemsterDate Filed: 07/29/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Reply Declaration of Jim PugelDate Filed: 07/29/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
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07/29/2026
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07/29/2026
Plaintiffs鈥 Reply to State Defendants鈥 Response in Opposition to Plaintiffs鈥 Motion for a Preliminary Injunction
Date Filed: 05/13/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Date Filed: 05/28/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Date Filed: 07/06/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Date Filed: 07/08/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Date Filed: 07/29/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Date Filed: 07/29/2026
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Affiliate: Tennessee
Press Releases
New Filings Detail Disturbing Accounts of Federal Agents Retaliating Against Memphis Residents
Memphis Residents Challenge Pattern of Retaliation for Recording Memphis Safe Task Force Agents