On Wednesday, three former officers in Memphis were found not guilty of state charges, including second-degree murder, related to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols following a traffic stop in 2023.
The judge took about eight and a half hours across two days to reach the verdict after a nine-day trial. Tadarius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith were acquitted of all charges. Upon hearing the verdict, one defendant embraced his lawyer while relatives of the officers expressed their joy.
Despite this acquittal, the three officers still face the possibility of lengthy prison sentences due to federal charges from last year.
Tire Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, attempted to flee after being pulled over. He was subsequently captured by five Black officers who then punched, kicked, and struck him with a baton. Nichols succumbed to his injuries on January 10, 2023, three days after the incident.
Footage from police cameras captured the officers laughing and chatting while Nichols struggled for help. His death sparked protests nationwide and amplified calls for police reform in the U.S., especially in Memphis, where the population is primarily Black.
Desmond Mills Jr., a former officer involved in the incident, testified for the prosecution. Mills and another officer, Emmitt Martin, took guilty pleas for state charges and did not go to trial as part of an agreement with prosecutors. They also pleaded guilty in federal court, awaiting sentencing for all five officers involved.
The officers were charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, official misconduct, and official oppression.
Prosecutors argued that excessive force was used during Nichols’ arrest, suggesting the officers were emotionally charged after he fled. They emphasized the need for one officer to have intervened to stop the assault but did not.
“No one is going to call them monsters,” said the prosecutor. “You don’t need monsters to kill a man.”
The defense countered that procedures were followed and that they acted according to police protocols. They claimed the officer who committed the most violence was Martin.
Mills expressed regret for not intervening, admitting that Nichols suffered blunt force trauma that led to his death, with findings of tears and bleeding in his brain, according to the autopsy.
Mills tried to use pepper spray but ended up spraying himself. In a bout of anger, he struck Nichols with a baton and acknowledged his duty to intervene, yet did not do so. However, he maintained that Nichols had resisted arrest.
During the trial, defense attorney John Keith Perry questioned whether Nichols would have been struck had he complied with commands. Mills answered no.
The defense also suggested that Nichols might have been under the influence of drugs, asserting that substances found in his car could have contributed to his resistance. However, toxicology reports indicated only alcohol and a small amount of marijuana in his system.
Mills admitted that Nichols never physically attacked any officers.
The defense argued that the officers struggled to maintain control during the arrest, suggesting that they were hindered by Nichols’ actions. Yet prosecutors remained skeptical, highlighting comments made by the officers after the incident that seemed to indicate a conscious intent to inflict harm.
In December, a 17-month investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice concluded that the Memphis Police Department demonstrated patterns of excessive force and discrimination against Black individuals.
