US Attorney says Tyre Nichols investigation will be 'thorough'
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Kevin Ritz says he has spoken with Tyre Nichols' family following his death on Jan. 10 after an encounter with Memphis Police.
The video of a confrontation between Tyre Nichols and five Black Memphis police officers – which ultimately led to Nichols’ death three days later – will be released Friday evening, Shelby County, Tenn., District Attorney Steve Mulroy said during a Thursday-afternoon press conference.
"We all want the same thing. We want justice for Tyre Nichols," Mulroy said. "It’s my hope that if there is any silver lining to be drawn from this very dark cloud, it’s that perhaps this incident can open a broader conversation about the need for police reform."
District attorney Steve Mulroy speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in response to the investigation of the death of Tyre Nichols, who died after being beaten by Memphis police officers, in Memphis, Tenn., Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The press conference came after the now-former Memphis police were charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop.
Mulroy said a grand jury has returned indictments against Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith. Each has been charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assaulted, aggravated kidnapping resulting in bodily injury, aggravated kidnapping involving the possession of a weapon, official misconduct through unauthorized exercise of power, official misconduct through failure to act when there is a duty imposed by law, and official oppression.
TYRE NICHOLS CASE: 5 FORMER MEMPHIS POLICE OFFICERS CHARGED WITH SECOND-DEGREE MURDER
"While each of these five individuals played a different role in the incident in question, the actions of all of [the officers] resulted in the death of Tyre Nichols, and all were responsible," Mulroy said.
A portrait of Tyre Nichols is displayed at a memorial service for him on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023 in Memphis, Tenn. Nichols was killed during a traffic stop with Memphis Police on Jan. 7. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz)
Attorneys for Martin and Mills were expected to hold press conferences later Thursday.
Video footage of the arrest has already been shown to Nichols' family.
From left, Desmond Mills, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin and Tadarrius Bean. Each of the Memphis Police Department Officers was terminated on Jan. 18 for their role in the arrest of deceased Tyre Nichols. (Shelby County Jail)
Ben Crump, the attorney representing Nichols' family, said the video that the family viewed showed Nichols — a 29-year-old FedEx worker and father — was shocked, pepper-sprayed and restrained when he was pulled over for a traffic stop near his home. He had been returning home from a suburban park, where he had taken photos of the sunset. The legal team said that officers beat Nichols for three minutes in a "savage" encounter reminiscent of the infamous 1991 police beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King.
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Relatives have accused the police of causing Nichols to have a heart attack and kidney failure. Authorities have only said that Nichols experienced a medical emergency.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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