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.
The officers were part of a now-disbanded crime suppression team known as the Scorpion Unit. Two other officers, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., who were also involved in the incident, pleaded guilty ahead of the federal trial and testified for prosecutors. They are expected to change their pleas in state court to avoid a murder trial.
Nichols, who was Black, succumbed to his injuries three days after the beating despite attempts by officers to subdue him with pepper spray and a Taser. The autopsy report revealed that he died from head injuries sustained during the altercation, which left him with cuts and bruises on various parts of his body.
The video footage shows officers engaging in a physical struggle with Nichols just outside his residence, with Nichols audibly calling out for his mother. Following the incident, the officers were seen conversing and laughing while Nichols struggled with his injuries.
Attorneys for Bean and Smith have filed motions requesting U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris to dismiss their federal convictions, though Norris has yet to make a ruling on the motions.
