Three former Memphis police officers charged with murder in the beating of Tyre Nichols are set to go on trial in April, as decided by Shelby County Judge James Jones Jr. during a hearing on Friday. The officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, have pleaded not guilty to state charges of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Nichols.
Nichols, aged 29, was subjected to punches, kicks, and strikes with a police baton after attempting to flee a traffic stop in January 2023. The incident was captured on police video, which has since been released to the public. The three officers were previously found guilty of federal witness tampering charges related to Nichols' death, with Haley also convicted on federal civil rights violations and a charge of conspiracy to witness tamper.
