A federal trial involving three former Memphis police officers charged with violating Tyre Nichols' civil rights in a fatal beating has reached a critical juncture as jurors began deliberations following a nearly monthlong trial. The officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, were among five officers fired from the Memphis Police Department after the incident on Jan. 7, 2023.
Prosecutors argued that the officers sought to punish Nichols for fleeing a traffic stop and engaged in what they referred to as a common police practice known as the 'street tax' or 'run tax.' Defense attorneys, however, sought to downplay their clients' involvement, with Bean's attorney emphasizing that Nichols had ignored commands and that the force used was not excessive.
