Wed | Mar 22, 2023

Five ex-Memphis police officers charged for Tyre Nichols’ death

Published:Thursday | January 26, 2023 | 8:58 PM
This combo of booking images provided by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office shows, from top row from left, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, bottom row from left, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith. The five former Memphis police officers have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop, records showed Thursday, January 26, 2023. (Shelby County Sheriff's Office via AP)

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (AP) — Five fired Memphis police officers were charged Thursday with murder and other crimes in the killing of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop.

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy told a news conference that although the officers each played different roles in the killing, “they are all responsible.”

The officers, who are all Black, each face charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.

Video of the January 7 traffic stop will be released to the public sometime Friday evening, Mulroy said.

The Nichols family and their lawyers say the footage shows officers savagely beating the 29-year-old FedEx worker for three minutes in an assault that the legal team likened to the infamous 1991 police beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King.

Nichols' stepfather, Rodney Wells, told The Associated Press by phone that he and his wife, RowVaughn Wells, who is Nichols' mother, discussed the second-degree murder charges and are “fine with it.” They had sought first-degree murder charges.

“There's other charges, so I'm all right with that,” he said.

Second-degree murder is punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison under Tennessee law.

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