Former Memphis Police Charged In The Death Of Tyre Nichols Will Appear Before The Judge (Watch Video)
On Friday, five former Memphis police officers were due to appear in court for the first time on accusations of murder and other offenses related to Tyre Nichols’ horrific arrest and death.
In Shelby County Criminal Court, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, Justin Smith, and their attorneys were scheduled to appear before the court. After an internal inquiry by the Memphis Police Department into the arrest of Nichols on January 7, who passed away in a hospital three days later, the officers were discharged.
The cops are also accused with aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression in addition to second-degree murder. All of them are free on bond.
The recent police killing of Nichols has sparked protests around the country and a heated debate about police violence. Black Nichols, age 29, was. The five officers who are accused of killing him are all Black.
Records showed that Nichols was hauled out of his car by officers who had allegedly broken the law while using obscenities and at least one of them had a gun in his hand. A city video shows that after an officer stun-gunned Nichols, Nichols fled in the direction of his adjacent home.
When Nichols screamed for his mother, police officers who were a part of the Scorpion unit, a crime-fighting force, caught up with him and punched, kicked, and slugged him with a baton.
Video indicated that as Nichols battled with his injuries on the ground after the attack, the officers watched and chatted among themselves. Video and records show that a cop photographed Nichols while he was leaning against an unmarked police vehicle.
Authorities claim that Nichols was transported to a hospital in an ambulance that departed the scene of the beating 27 minutes after emergency care personnel arrived.
Authorities claimed that Nichols had been suspected of driving recklessly, but neither public records nor camera footage have shown any conclusive proof of a traffic infraction. The stop and the officers’ actions were not supported by any evidence, according to Cerelyn “CJ” Davis, the director of the Memphis Police Department. With Nichols’ passing, she disbanded the Scorpion unit, which she founded in November 2021.
One other white officer who was involved in the initial traffic stop has been fired. An additional officer who has not been identified has been suspended.
Also fired are three Memphis Fire Department employees who were on-site at the time of the arrest. Two Shelby County sheriff’s deputies who were also there have been placed on administrative leave without pay for infractions including turning off body cameras.
The family of Nichols, their attorneys, local authorities, and activists have demanded that the Police Department make reforms to its policy regarding traffic stops, the use of force, transparency, and other matters.
Some of the victims’ family members and attorneys have complimented Davis and the department for their prompt action and stated that it ought to be the benchmark for future investigations into police misconduct.
