Five Memphis police officers have pleaded not guilty in connection with the killing of Tyre Nichols

Friday, five former Memphis police officers pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other counts related to Tyre Nichols’ violent arrest and death.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, and Justin Smith made their first court appearances with their lawyers before a judge in Shelby County Criminal Court. The policemen were terminated following an internal police probe into the arrest of Nichols on January 7, who died three days later in a hospital.

Officers pled not guilty to second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression charges. They are all out on bond. Their next scheduled hearing is for May 1.

Judge James Jones Jr. pleaded for “continued patience” and “continued civility” in the courtroom, noting that “this case may take some time.”

“We understand that there may be some high emotions in this case, but we ask that you continue to be patient with us,” Jones added. Everyone involved desires that this case be resolved as soon as feasible. Nonetheless, it is imperative that you recognize that the state of Tennessee and each of these individuals have an unequivocal right to a fair trial.”

Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, and stepfather, Rodney Wells, were in court along with their lawyer, civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

The police shooting of Nichols is the most recent incident to spark nationwide protests and reignite a heated public debate about police brutality. Nichols, who was 29 years old, was Black. Each of the five cops charged in his death is Black.

Nichols was pulled over by police for an apparent traffic violation and yanked from his vehicle by profanity-using cops, at least one of whom was armed.

According to video footage obtained by the city, after an officer stunned Nichols with a stun gun, Nichols fled toward his adjacent home.

While Nichols pleaded for his mother, members of the crime-suppression team known as Scorpion caught up with him and punched, kicked, and clubbed him with a baton.

The footage showed that after the beating, officers remained by and conversed while Nichols fought on the ground with his injuries. Video and records showed that an officer photographed Nichols while he was propped up against an unmarked police cruiser.

Authorities reported that Nichols was transported to a hospital in an ambulance that departed the scene of the assault 27 minutes after emergency medical technicians arrived.

Officers said Nichols was suspected of driving recklessly, but neither public documents nor camera footage have revealed any evidence of a traffic violation. Director of the Memphis Police Department Cerelyn “CJ” Davis has stated that she has seen no evidence to support the stop or the officers’ actions. After Nichols’ death in November 2021, she disbanded the Scorpion force she had founded in November of that year.

A second white cop engaged in the first traffic stop has been terminated.

An unidentified officer has been suspended in addition to those already identified.

Three workers of the Memphis Fire Department who were present at the scene of the arrest have been terminated. Two sheriff’s deputies from Shelby County who were also present have been suspended without pay.

The family of Nichols, their attorneys, community leaders, and activists have demanded revisions to the Memphis Police Department’s policy regarding traffic stops, use of force, and transparency, among others.

Some of the family members and attorneys have complimented Davis and the department for their prompt reaction, stating that it should serve as a model for future investigations into police misconduct.

»Five Memphis police officers have pleaded not guilty in connection with the killing of Tyre Nichols«

Related Posts

The Bitter End: The Untangling of Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning

Emir of Kano Urges President-elect Tinubu to Promote Interfaith Dialogue for Peaceful Coexistence

Pregnant Woman Arrested for Stabbing Domestic Help Over Unwashed Bag in Lagos

Leave a Reply Cancel reply