Five Memphis police officers charged over death of Tyre Nichols

Five former police officers have been charged with second-degree murder after 29-year-old Tyre Nichols died following a traffic stop in Memphis, Tennessee.

Officers charged for death of Tyre Nichols

Nichols died three days after his arrest on January 7, 2023 for alleged reckless driving.

As officials prepare to release the footage of the incident on Friday, President Biden called for “peace”.

“As Americans grieve, the Department of Justice conducts its investigation, and state authorities continue their work, I join Tyre’s family in calling for peaceful protest,” he said.

“Outrage is understandable, but violence is never acceptable.”

The city’s police chief earlier also urged people to remain calm once the clip is made public.

“This is not just a professional failing,” Police Chief CJ Davis said of the former officers’ alleged conduct. “This is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual.”

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr, Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith are each charged with second degree murder, aggravated assault – acting in concert, aggravated kidnapping causing bodily injury, aggravated kidnapping while possessing a weapon, official misconduct thru unauthorized exercising of official power, official misconduct thru failure to perform a duty imposed by law, and official oppression.

From left: Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr, Emmitt Martin III, Justin Smith and Tadarrius Bean (Photo Credit: Memphis Police Department)

The five officers, all of whom joined the Memphis Police Department in the last six years, were fired last week after an investigation found them to be “directly responsible for the physical abuse of Mr. Nichols”.

Haley, Smith, Bean, Mills, and Martin are all in custody, jail records show.

Fatal police incident

Nichols was stopped by police on January 7, on his way to a local park, his mother said. City officials said police officers pulled him over for reckless driving and two “confrontations” occurred.

According to authorities, the first alleged incident happened as officers approached the vehicle and he attempted to flee on foot. They said the second alleged confrontation happened when officers tried to arrest him.

Nichols later complained of shortness of breath and was taken to a local hospital, police said, where he was listed in a critical condition. Nichols succumbed to his injuries on January 10, according to officials. No official cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

The FBI and the Department of Justice have opened a civil rights investigation into Nichols’ death.

Who was Tyre Nichols

Tyre Nichols was a son and father who enjoyed skateboarding, photography and sunsets, his family says.

The 29-year-old was the baby of his family, the youngest of four children, who moved to Memphis for a new life.

He was a “good boy” who spent his Sundays doing laundry and getting ready for the week, his mother, Ravaughn Wells, said.

“Does that sound like somebody that the police said did all these bad things?” Wells said. “Nobody’s perfect OK, but he was damn near.”

“I know everybody says that they had a good son, and everybody’s son is good, but my son, he actually was a good boy,” she said.

Above it all, Nichols loved being a father and loved his son, his family said.

“Everything he was trying to do was to better himself as a father for his 4-year-old son,” attorney Benjamin Crump said at the family’s news conference.