Fired Memphis cops charged with second-degree murder for killing Tyre Nichols

Five Memphis, Tennessee police officers who were fired for what their chief called a “heinous, reckless, and inhumane” attack on a Black motorist who died three days after a traffic stop were booked and charged Thursday with crimes including second-degree murder.

Former Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin III, and Desmond Mills Jr—who are all Black—were charged with crimes including second-degree murder, aggravated assault-acting in concert, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression, according to court records.

Speaking at a Thursday news conference announcing the charges, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David B. Rausch described the five officers’ actions as “absolutely appalling.”

“We are here to pursue truth and justice, realizing that we should not be here,” said Rausch. “Simply put, this should not have happened. I’m sickened by what I saw.”

On Wednesday night, Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis lamented the “horrific circumstances” of Nichols’ death. Calling the victim’s arrest a “failing of basic humanity,” Davis vowed her department would “find truth in the tragic loss.”

Nichols died on January 10 from cardiac arrest and kidney failure three days after Memphis officers pulled his vehicle over at around 8:30 pm on January 7. MPD claimed there were two “confrontations” between officers and Nichols, who allegedly ran away before being violently arrested. Complaining of shortness of breath, Nichols was rushed to St. Francis Hospital in critical condition.

All five officers were fired on January 20 after they “were found to be directly responsible for the physical abuse of Mr. Nichols,” Davis explained. Two firefighters were also terminated in connection with the attack.

Earlier this month, U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz—working with the FBI’s Memphis Field Office and the U.S. Justice Department—launched a civil rights investigation into the case.

Antonio Romanucci, an attorney representing Nichols’ family, said Monday after viewing police bodycam footage of the attack on the 29-year-old father: “He was a human piñata for those police officers. It was unadulterated, unabashed, nonstop beating of this young boy for three minutes.”

“What we saw, regrettably, reminded us of the Rodney King video,” Crump said Monday. “But, unlike Rodney King, Tyre didn’t survive.”‘

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said earlier this week that it will likely release footage of the incident at 6:00 pm local time Friday.

Some civil rights leaders called on Congress to take action to prevent such incidents.

“It is only right that the Memphis Police Department takes the necessary additional steps to hold these officers accountable for their role in ripping apart a family and traumatizing a community. However, this is far from what justice looks like. Justice looks like the 535 members of Congress taking the time to turn their ‘thoughts and prayers’ into action and change,” said NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson in response to Thursday’s charges.

Originally published at Commondreams.org.