Three former Memphis police officers were found not guilty of state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. The incident occurred after Nichols ran away from a traffic stop, leading to protests and calls for police reform across the country.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith were acquitted by a jury after a nine-day trial in state court. While their relatives cried tears of relief, one exclaimed, “Thank you, Jesus!” Defense attorney Martin Zummach expressed his relief in representing innocent men and commended the jurors for their decision.
Although the three officers face potential prison time following federal convictions last year, they were cleared of the most serious charges then as well. Two other former officers had previously pleaded guilty in both state and federal court, with defense attorneys attributing much of the violence to one of them, Emmitt Martin.
Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, tragically died three days after the beating, which was captured on police camera footage. The video showed officers striking Nichols while he called out for his mother, sparking nationwide outrage and scrutiny of the Memphis police force.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Nichols’ family, denounced the trial verdict as a “devastating miscarriage of justice.” Memphis District Attorney Steve Mulroy expressed surprise at the jury’s decision, given the evidence presented during the trial. He acknowledged the family’s devastation and outrage, understanding their reaction in light of the circumstances.
Defense attorneys argued that Martin was primarily responsible for the violence, highlighting his actions during the incident. Character witnesses testified on behalf of Bean and Smith, portraying them as dedicated officers who followed protocol. With sentencing pending for all five officers involved, the case has brought renewed attention to police conduct and accountability in the city of Memphis.
The death of Nichols was caused by severe blunt force trauma, resulting in tears and bleeding in the brain, according to Dr. Marco Ross, the medical examiner who testified in court. The officers faced charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression. Prosecutors alleged that, in addition to physically assaulting Nichols, the officers failed to intervene to stop the beating and neglected to inform medical staff about the repeated head injuries Nichols had sustained.
During the trial, the defense claimed that Nichols had resisted arrest. One officer acknowledged his failure to intervene to halt the beating, attributing his actions to Nichols’ noncompliance with arrest instructions. However, he stated that he would not have struck Nichols if he had complied.
The defense also argued that the officers followed police department protocols, including using wrist locks and baton strikes, some of which were deemed necessary due to the officers’ fear and exhaustion. They suggested that Nichols’ possession of credit and debit cards not belonging to him, as well as the presence of hallucinogenic mushrooms in his car, may have influenced his behavior during the incident.
Despite the defense’s arguments, prosecutors highlighted statements made by the officers after the incident, indicating that they were aware of the severity of the beating. Additionally, the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation revealed allegations of excessive force and racial discrimination within the Memphis Police Department.
