A former Memphis police officer, Emmitt Martin III, changed his plea to guilty in federal court on Friday in relation to the violent arrest and beating death of Tyre Nichols. Martin's guilty plea comes after his former colleague, Desmond Mills, also pleaded guilty last November. Both officers faced state and federal charges for their involvement in Nichols' death.
Martin, along with Mills and three other former officers, were charged in the death of Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man. Martin faced federal charges of deprivation of rights, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice. The plea deal for Martin includes a recommended sentence of up to 40 years, significantly longer than Mills' recommended 15-year sentence.
