The legislator's comments came in the wake of the controversial bill's approval, which she described as a direct affront to the memory of Tyree Nichols, a man who died in police custody earlier this year.
"It is a slap in the face, and you might as well stomp on the grave of Tyree Nichols for bringing this bill," Oliver declared, her words echoing the palpable tension surrounding the legislation.
March 16, 2024
The senator's impassioned response to the bill's passage was fueled by what she perceives as a personal attack on her constituents. "Yes we are emotionally charged. Why? Because it’s personal for us. [Sen. Brent] Taylor made this personal the minute he introduced this legislation to target one family and one life that was lost. So yeah, we gonna fight."
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Oliver further invoked the words of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., saying, "Dr. King said the riots are the language of the unheard. You ain’t seen nothing yet. If you keep silencing us like this, what do you think our district’s gonna do? We have had it up here, gloves off. Like, we got to fight like hell. You don’t expect us to respond?"
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The senator also criticized the proposed abolition of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, a move she sees as an attack on the protections afforded to individuals like Nichols. "Don't tell me this stuff ain't racist. Don't tell me it's not. It is rooted in racism. This was a Jim Crow bill that Taylor brought and all his Confederates voted for today."
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Nichols, who was pulled over on suspicion of reckless driving on January 7, died three days after being taken into custody following a confrontation with police. Five former Memphis police officers, all of whom are black, were subsequently charged in connection with his death.
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The contentious bill, which now awaits the signature of Republican Governor Bill Lee, prohibits local jurisdictions from blocking traffic stops when an officer has reasonable suspicion of a violation of local, state, or federal law, as reported by Fox 17. This comes after Memphis had outlawed pretextual traffic stops for minor infractions such as a broken taillight.
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