The family of Tyre Nichols, a Black man beaten to death by a group of Memphis police officers, waited well over a year for the federal trial in the case. Despite their own colleagues testifying against them, three of the cops got off for the killing but they’re facing serious time for covering it up.
Five former Memphis officers - Desmond Mills Jr., Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith, Demetrius Haley and Emmitt Martin III - were accused of brutally beating Tyre Nichols the evening of Jan 7. 2023 after he was pulled over for alleged reckless driving. The officers were part of the police department’s SCORPION Unit for street crime and cornered Nichols in unmarked cars as he tried to run home. He had come from skateboarding and taking pictures of the sunset.
Body camera footage of the incident showed how the officers beat, kicked and pepper sprayed Nichols’ until his injuries rendered him unrecognizable to his family. The videos also showed the officers conspiring with one another on how to downplay, justify and hide their actions.
Federal Trial for Ex-Memphis Cops
Last week, the fate of Smith, Bean and Haley were in the hands of a federal jury as their two colleagues, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills, opted to plead guilty. The two also testified to the violence they witnesses against Nichols that fateful night, describing him as “helpless” and offered an apology for not stopping it. After six hours of deliberation, they found the three guilty of witness tampering related to the cover-up of the beating, court documents show. That charge alone carries a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years. However, that was one of the charges they faced... and the lightest one.
They were let go on harsher charges that could’ve sent them to prison for life. According to the verdict, Bean and Smith were found not guilty of violating Nichols’ civil rights. Haley was also found not guilty of violating Nichols’ civil rights in direct cause of his death. However, he was convicted on a lesser civil rights charge for causing bodily injury to Nichols. Haley faces up to 10 years in prison on that count. As for the two who pleaded guilty, prosecutors requested they face up to 15 years in federal prison.
Meanwhile, all five officers still face state charges of second-degree murder. All of them pleaded not guilty. Though, they still face a lawsuit filed by Nichols’ family.
Is This Justice?
The verdict was bittersweet to Nichols’ family. They previously called for justice by way of legislation to avoid another incident like this happening again.
Though they still seek justice for Nichols’ death, they said in a press conference following the ruling that they are satisfied for now.
“This has been a long journey for our family. I’m actually in shock right now because I still can’t believe all the stuff that’s going on. But we’re happy that they all have been convicted and they have been arrested,” said RowVaughn Wells, Nichols’ mother, via The AP.