NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been set to receive nearly $1 million to pay for the testing of backlogged rape evidence kits.
A TBI spokesperson said the bureau would receive $976,420 from New York City’s district attorney.
Memphis Mayor A. C. Wharton Jr. said their police department was also receiving a total of nearly $4 million in funds, with almost $2 million of that coming from New York City’s district attorney.
Wharton said Memphis has had 12,000 backlogged rape evidence kits.
Wharton added the city was getting a $1.9 million grant from the Justice Department, rounding out the $4 million. His announcement came after the White House said $41 million in federal funds plus $38 million from the Manhattan prosecutor will go toward clearing backlogs in 27 states.
The backlog was revealed in late 2013. Wharton then established a sexual assault kit task force and made fundraising for testing a priority. So far, 7,187 kits have been tested or have been awaiting testing at a lab.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
