A memorial service was held Tuesday for Tyre Nichols, whose death after a confrontation with police officers during a traffic stop led to protests. Video / AP
Five fired Memphis police officers were charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, a black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop.
Shelby County Sheriff’s Office online records show that Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith were in custody. All five are charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
Court records don’t list attorneys for Smith, Bean or Haley. Martin’s lawyer, William Massey, confirmed that his client had turned himself in. He and Mills’ lawyer, Blake Ballin, said they planned to discuss the charges at a news conference later Thursday.
The five former Memphis police officers have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols. Photo / AP
Second-degree murder is punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison under Tennessee law.
Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells, told The Associated Press by phone that he and his wife RowVaughn Wells, who is Nichols’ mother, discussed the second-degree murder charges and are “fine with it”. They had pushed for first-degree murder charges.
“There are other charges, so I’m all right with that,” he said.
He said he was “ecstatic” that authorities have moved quickly in the case.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, who founded and runs the National Action Network and will deliver the eulogy at Nichols’ funeral service next week, called the charges “a necessary step in delivering justice” for Nichols.
“There is no point to putting a body camera on a cop if you aren’t going to hold them accountable when the footage shows them relentlessly beating a man to death,” Sharpton said. “Firings are not enough. Indictments and arrests are not convictions. As we’ve done in the past...we will stand by this family until justice is done.”
Tyre Nichols was killed during a traffic stop. Photo / AP
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said he would provide an update on the state’s investigation Thursday afternoon.
Nichols’ family and their attorneys have seen police video of the arrest, but the video hasn’t been released to the public, though authorities said they’d release it this week or next.
The Memphis police chief has called the actions of five officers involved in the violent arrest of Nichols “heinous, reckless and inhumane” and urged residents of the predominantly black city to protest peacefully when the video is released.
”This is not just a professional failing. This is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual,” Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said in a video statement released late Wednesday on social media.
Davis said the five officers found to be “directly responsible for the physical abuse of Mr. Nichols”, were fired last week, but other officers are still being investigated for violating department policy. In addition, she said “a complete and independent review” will be conducted of the department’s specialised units, without providing further details.
As state and federal investigations continue, Davis promised the police department’s “full and complete cooperation” to determine what contributed to Nichols’ death.
Family members and supporters hold a photograph of Tyre Nichols at a news conference in Memphis. Photo / AP
Mulroy said that local and state investigators want to complete as many interviews as possible before releasing the video. The timetable has rankled some activists who expected the video to be released after Nichols’ family and the family’s lawyers viewed it.
One of the family’s attorneys, Ben Crump, said the video showed Nichols — a 29-year-old FedEx worker and father — was shocked, pepper-sprayed and restrained when he was pulled over for a traffic stop near his home. He was returning home from a suburban park where he had taken photos of the sunset. The legal team said officers beat Nichols for three minutes in a “savage” encounter reminiscent of the infamous 1991 police beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King.
Relatives have accused the police of causing Nichols to have a heart attack and kidney failure. Authorities have only said Nichols experienced a medical emergency.
When video of the arrest is publicly released, Davis said she expects the community to react.
“I expect our citizens to exercise their First Amendment right to protest, to demand actions and results, but we need to ensure our community is safe in this process,” she said. “None of this is a calling card for inciting violence or destruction on our community or against our citizens.”
Davis said the fired officers’ actions aren’t a reflection of the good work that many Memphis police officers do every day and she pledged to take action to make improvements at the agency.
“It is my intent, as a proactive measure, to ensure that a complete and independent review is conducted on all of the Memphis Police Department’s specialised units and the commitment of my executive leadership to ensure that policies and procedures are adhered to in our daily encounters with the citizens we are sworn to serve.” .
Two fire department workers were also removed from duty over the Nichols arrest.
