In a recent court case, three former officers out of five from Memphis, Tennessee, were declared not guilty by a state jury on charges including second-degree murder. The charges were linked to the fateful incident in January 2023 involving the demise of Tyre Nichols following a severe beating. The other two officers had previously decided to plead guilty to the charges.
These acquittals represent a fresh chapter in the ongoing court case. Earlier, these very officers were found guilty of at least a single crime in federal court while the remaining two admitted guilt. Nichols, a 29-year old African American, attempted to flee a traffic stop after being ejected from his vehicle, pepper-sprayed, and subjected to a Taser by the officers.
The five policemen involved in the incident, all of African American descent, pursued Nichols. They ultimately caught him and ensued to strike him with punches, kicks, and a police baton. This occurred close to Nichols’ residence while he pleaded for his mother. The struggle lasted until Nichols was eventually handcuffed. His passing, three days after the incident, triggered protests across the country and led to a nationwide demand for reformation of police protocols within the United States.
All five officers were part of an anti-crime division of the force, aptly named the Scorpion Unit. Following the event leading to Nichols’ death, the unit was disbanded. It had primarily focused on addressing illegal substance abuse, gun violence, and violent criminals with the intent of increasing arrest rates. However, it often engaged in forceful measures against unarmed civilians. After Nichols’ ordeal, the officers were dismissed and slapped with murder charges in state court. They were also indicted on counts of civil rights infringement and witness tampering by a federal grand jury.
Let’s delve into the individual roles of the former officers involved in the incident and how these court cases have impacted them. Bean, one of the officers, seized Nichols from behind as he was attempting to run away from the scene and towards his home. Bean kept Nichols pinned to the ground while the other officers launched attacks on Nichols. State charges against Bean including second-degree murder, aggravated kidnap, and assault amongst others were dropped on Wednesday.
Previously, Bean had been convicted of witness tampering connected to the concealment of the beating, under federal jurisdiction. However, he was cleared of accusations related to infringing on Nichols’ civil rights by utilizing excessive force or being inattentive towards Nichols’ severe injuries.
Haley stands out as another implicated officer; he played a part in forcibly removing Nichols from his car and onto the ground. Prosecutors claim Haley kicked Nichols and gave a command to assault him. In a reactive report to resistance, Haley suggested Nichols ignored all instructions to exit the vehicle and allegedly attacked the officers verbally and physically.
Yet, body camera footage shows Nichols was rapidly forced out of the automobile by the law enforcers. Haley was found not guilty on Wednesday of a series of state charges, mirroring those faced by Bean. In a federal court hearing, Haley was found guilty of witness tampering linked to the cover-up of the beating and violating Nichols’ civil rights by causing him bodily harm. However, he too was cleared of charges related to causing Nichols’ death.
Smith joined the attack after Nichols had been apprehended close to his residence. He allegedly kept Nichols pinned down. He, too, was cleared of state charges that included second-degree murder, aggravated kidnap, assault, among others, during the Wednesday hearing. Smith was earlier found guilty in federal court of witness tampering tied to the cover-up; he was acquitted of infringing on Nichols’ civil rights by using excessive force or ignoring his severe injuries.
Mills’ involvement in the incident was different; he initially attempted to pepper-spray Nichols while other officers had him restrained but ended up spraying himself. After recovering, Mills assaulted Nichols with a police baton, striking him thrice. Mills confessed to being irritated about the pepper spray mishap which led to his violent behavior. He agreed to plead guilty to state charges; thus, he did not stand trial.
During the proceedings, Mills admitted that his inaction to prevent the beating led to Nichols’ tragic death caused by blunt force trauma injuries. He acknowledged his responsibility to intervene and stop the brutal assault, an obligation he failed. Mills claimed Nichols never physically attacked any of the officers. Besides agreeing to plead guilty to state charges, Mills also admitted guilt in federal court leading to a plea bargain with prosecutors suggesting a potential 15-year prison sentence.
Martin, another officer involved, displayed the most aggression towards Nichols. He was among the first to engage Nichols and proceeded to kick and punch him multiple times. Martin also confessed to lying to his superiors about their use of force. Martin did not stand trial as he agreed to plead guilty to the state charges.
Like Mills, Martin also pleaded guilty in federal court. Sentencing procedures for these ex-officers will be decided at a future date. The maximum sentence for the federal charges is 20 years of imprisonment. In an additional twist to the story, the city of Memphis, the five officers, and the police chief are also facing a $550 million lawsuit from Nichols’ family. A hearing has been set for the coming year.
Late last year, the U.S. Justice Department revealed the results of a 17-month probe against the Memphis Police Department. The lengthy investigation concluded that the department engaged in the use of excessive force and racially discriminatory practices.