Five former Memphis police officers were charged with second-degree murder Thursday in the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop, authorities said.
Ex-Officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith, who are all Black, were charged with second-degree murder, two counts of official misconduct, one count of official oppression, aggravated assault-act in concert and two counts of aggravated kidnapping in the death of Nichols, according to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.
"I'm excited. It shows that justice is being served. It doesn't matter the color of the officers. The fact is the officers did what they did, and it was unnecessary," Nichols' aunt Kandi Green said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
The encounter occurred Jan. 7 and was captured on police body cameras.
Memphis police and law enforcement agencies across the country were bracing themselves Thursday for reaction to the release of video showing the brutal beating of Nichols, who died earlier this month after the encounter with police.
The possible release of the video of the incident — which could be released Thursday afternoon by the Shelby County district attorney — put police departments on notice across the country as they brace for demonstrations.
"This is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual. This incident was heinous, reckless and inhumane," Memphis police Chief Cerelyn Davis said in a video statement Wednesday evening. "When the video is released in the coming days you will see this for yourselves."
Davis, taking an apologetic tone in her address, urged citizens to peacefully express their First Amendment rights while saying the disturbing video must not be a "calling card for inciting violence."
Lawyer Ben Crump, who represents Nichols' family, said the charging of the officers "gives us hope as we continue to push for justice for Tyre."
"This young man lost his life in a particularly disgusting manner that points to the desperate need for change and reform to ensure this violence stops occurring during low-threat procedures, like, in this case, a traffic stop," Crump said in a statement.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, a New York-based civil rights activist, said that he will be traveling to Memphis and that he has spoken with the Nichols family.
"The fact that these officers are Black makes it more egregious to those of us in the civil rights movement. These officers should not be allowed to hide their deeds behind their Blackness," Sharpton said in a statement. "We are against all police brutality — not just white police brutality."
Nichols — a California native who grew up in Sacramento and recently moved to Memphis to work for FedEx — died Jan. 10 following the encounter with police, during which he was pulled over by officers on suspicion of reckless driving, according to Memphis police. When officers approached Nichols' car, a confrontation occurred, and Nichols fled the scene on foot, police said.
The police pursued Nichols, and another "confrontation" took place, which led to Nichols' arrest and subsequent hospitalization, police said.
Officers and Nichols were just 100 yards from the victim's parents' home during the encounter, according to Jennifer McGuffin, the chief spokesperson of Romanucci & Blandon, the law firm representing Nichols' family.
The video shows Nichols being tased, pepper sprayed, beaten and restrained for three minutes, according to McGuffin. Nichols called for his mother and told officers he wished to go home, McGuffin said.
A day later, while Nichols was hospitalized, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation launched an inquiry into the use-of-force incident at the request of the local district attorney.
Nichols loved to skateboard and had a bright smile, his aunt recalled.
"He just had one of those spirits, one of those personalities that would draw you to him," Green said. "He was a sweetheart. Every time you seen him, he had a smile on his face. ... Never had a criminal record. Never been in any type of trouble. All-around good kid."
Less than two weeks after the incident, the Police Department announced the termination of the five police officers who were involved in the confrontation.
William Massey, an attorney representing Martin, said the former officer surrendered Thursday morning and was "resolved to put this behind him."
"What police do is dangerous and difficult. And I think this is every policeman's fear, that something like this would happen on their watch," Massey said.
Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Warren Moore told the Times that the department is actively preparing for possible protests.
"We're setting up different watches and making sure we have the proper resources out," the officer said.
The department is "flirting with" going to A and B watch, which would mean all officers work 12 hours on and get 12 hours off, an expensive action that makes more officers available than regular.
———
(Los Angeles Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.)
———
