A Tennessee jury delivered a verdict for three of the five former Memphis police officers on trial in connection with the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. Per USA Today, prosecutors charged Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated kidnapping.
Final Verdict Reached For Ex-Memphis Officers In Tyre Nichols Case
On Wednesday, May 7, a judge acquitted all three former officers of all state charges tied to Tyre Nichols’ death. According to NBC News, the court found the former officers not guilty of second-degree murder and several related charges. Judge James Jones Jr. ordered their immediate release.
In 2024, AP News reported that all three men had received convictions for excessive force and witness tampering connected to efforts to cover up the incident. However, Bean and Smith avoided convictions on federal civil rights charges. Haley was also found not guilty of violating Nichols’ civil rights, resulting in Nichols’ death, but convicted of injuring Nichols and trying to tamper a witness.
Attorney Ben Crump Speaks Out After Tyre Nichols Trial Verdict
Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci criticized the verdict in Nichols’ trial during a joint statement. Both attorneys called the acquittals of the three officers “a devastating miscarriage of justice.”
“Today’s verdicts are a devastating miscarriage of justice. The world watched as Tyre Nichols was beaten to death by those sworn to protect and serve. That brutal, inhumane assault was captured on video, yet the officers responsible were acquitted. Tyre’s life was stolen, and his family was denied the justice they so deeply deserve. We are outraged, and we know we are not alone,” Crump said in an official press release.
Here’s The Latest On The Other Two Former Officers
CNN reports that former Memphis officer Desmond Mills Jr., charged in Nichols’ death, previously testified as a prosecution witness. Mills Jr. fellow ex-officer Emmitt Martin agreed to plead guilty to state charges and avoided trial through deals with prosecutors. Both also pleaded guilty in federal court, with sentencing for all five officers still pending.
Prosecutors argued that the officers applied exclusive, deadly force while trying to handcuff Nichols and held each other accountable for their actions. They also pointed out that the officers had a responsibility to stop the beating, intervene, and inform medical personnel that Nichols had suffered repeated strikes to the head, but they failed to act.
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