On Wednesday, three former Memphis officers were found not guilty of all charges, including second-degree murder, related to the fatal incident involving Tyre Nichols, who fled a traffic stop in 2023.
After a trial spanning nine days, the judge deliberated for about eight and a half hours over two days before reaching the decision regarding Tadarius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith.
The trio, however, still faces the potential for a year in prison following their earlier federal convictions.
Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, attempted to escape when officers pulled him from the car. He was tasered, and the officers proceeded to strike and kick him, struggling to restrain him while he called for his mother. He passed away on January 10, 2023, three days following the altercation.
Desmond Mills Jr., another former officer charged in relation to Nichols’ death, testified as a witness for the prosecution. Mills and Emmitt Martin, another officer involved, have pleaded guilty to state charges and are awaiting sentencing alongside the other officers involved.
