An FBI agent testified in the federal trial of three former Memphis police officers accused of excessive force and obstructing justice in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. The officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The FBI Special Agent, Anthony Householder, revealed that during his investigation, Smith admitted to punching Nichols and failing to intervene when another officer also punched him. Smith expressed regret for not informing emergency medical technicians about the punches delivered to Nichols, believing Nichols could communicate his injuries himself. Nichols tragically passed away in the hospital three days after the incident.
Householder further testified that Smith took ownership of his actions and acknowledged his failure in the situation. Bean also accepted responsibility, admitting that he omitted information about the beating out of fear of being labeled a 'snitch.'
The officers, part of a disbanded crime suppression unit, used pepper spray and a Taser on Nichols during a traffic stop. Nichols, who was Black, ran away, leading to the officers assaulting him about a block from his home. Video evidence shows the officers laughing as Nichols called out for his mother while struggling with his injuries.
Mills, one of the officers who pleaded guilty to depriving Nichols of his civil rights, testified that he had not witnessed Bean or Smith participating in the 'street tax,' a term used for punishing individuals who flee from police. Prosecutors allege that the officers applied the 'street tax' against Nichols.
The trial continues with the possibility of Bean, Haley, and Smith facing life imprisonment if convicted. The five officers also face second-degree murder charges in state court, where Mills and another officer are expected to change their pleas. A trial date in state court is pending.
