Family of Tyre Nichols and Officials Speak After 5 Memphis Officers Were Charged in Nichols’ Murder

Five former Memphis police officers charged in the murder of Tyre Nichols, a Black man who died after a police traffic stop confrontation.

Nichols was initially assaulted on Jan. 7 and died three days later.

The Memphis police initially said Nichols was pulled over for “suspected reckless driving.” Nichols was assaulted by the officers, then arrested. 

The officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith all face charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.

According to FOX, “Martin’s lawyer, William Massey, confirmed that his client had turned himself in. He and Mills’ lawyer, Blake Ballin, said their clients would plead not guilty. “

The officers were fired and charges were filed in less than 20 days and family attorney Ben Crump said this should be the blueprint going forward, on Friday during a news conference.

“We can state that preliminary findings indicate Tyre suffered extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating, and that his observed injuries are consistent with what the family and attorneys witnessed on the video of his fatal encounter with police on January 7, 2023,” attorney Crump said in a previous statement.

The Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said that all the officers played a different part in Nichols’ death, but that “they are all responsible.”

Nichols’ family and their lawyers said the bodycam footage, which will be released around 7 p.m. on Friday, shows officers beating Nichols for three minutes and likened the video to the infamous Rodney King beating.

“In my 36 years, I would have to say I don’t think I’ve ever been more horrified and disgusted, sad, but just, you know, and to some degree confused,” Memphis police chief Cerelyn Davis said on Good Morning America.

Nichols’ mom issued a statement ahead of the release of the body cam footage.

“I don’t want us burning up our city, tearing up the streets, because that’s not what my son stood for,” RowVaughn Wells, Nichols’ mother said. “If you guys are here for me and Tyre, then you will protest peacefully. You can get your point across but we don’t need to tear up our cities, people, because we do have to live in them.”