Five former Memphis police officers charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols appeared in court Friday as a judge considered which records should be released to the public as part of the highly-publicized case that intensified calls for police reform in the U.S.
The five officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin, Desmond Mills and Justin Smith — stood before Shelby County Criminal Court Judge James Jr. with their lawyers. They have pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree murder in the beating of the 29-year-old Nichols during a Jan. 7 traffic stop and his death three days later in a hospital.
