Five Black ex-police officers in Tennessee who allegedly beat Memphis motorist Tyre Nichols to death have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
Former Memphis cops Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmit Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith were booked into the Shelby County Jail in Memphis Thursday and indicted on the following seven counts:
- one charge of second-degree murder
- one charge of aggravated assault
- two charges of aggravated kidnapping
- two charges of official misconduct
- one charge of official oppression
Second-degree murder is defined in Tennessee as “a knowing killing of another” and is considered a Class A felony that is punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation stated during the press conference, according to CNN.
The five officers were terminated last week for violating policies on excessive use of force, duty to intervene and duty to render aid, the police department explained to the media.
In a video posted to YouTube on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2022, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said the beating death of Nichols, 29, “is not just a professional failing. This is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual.” She continued, “This incident was heinous, reckless and inhumane, and in the vein of transparency, when the video is released in the coming days, you will see this for yourselves.”
Thus far, only the investigators, prosecutors and the family have seen the police video. The family compared the beating of Nichols to that of the LAPD’s savage and infamous pummeling of Rodney King back in 1991.
According to the police report that CNN obtained, Nichols was pulled over in Memphis on Jan. 7, 2023, for reckless driving. When officers approached the vehicle, some “confrontation” popped off, and Nichols attempted to flee on foot. Once Nichols was tracked down by officers, another “confrontation” took place before he was taken into custody.
Nichols entered the hospital in critical condition and died three days later.
Ben Crump, one of the attorneys for the surviving family of Nichols, said the victim was tased, pepper-sprayed, restrained and kicked during a non-stop beating that lasted for three minutes.
The other family attorney, Antonio Romanucci, added that Nichols “was defenseless the entire time. He was a human piñata for those police officers. It was an unadulterated, unabashed, non-stop beating of this young boy for three minutes.”
Nichols’ stepfather said during the press conference on Monday, Jan. 23, that “what I saw on the video today was horrific. No father, mother should have to witness what I saw today.”
The news outlet also reported that members of the Memphis Fire Department are also being investigated and subjected to disciplinary actions.
The police chief is calling for public calm as the department is expected to release the video of the brutal arrest on Friday evening after 6 p.m.
