Five Black ex-Memphis police officers charged for beating Tyre Nichols to death
Tyre Nichols
Five former Memphis police officers charged with the killing of Black motorist Tyre Nichols were indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday (September 12), announced the Department of Justice (DoJ).
The jury said the five officers, who have been terminated from their jobs, "willfully deprived Nichols of his constitutional rights," resulting in "bodily injury and the death of Nichols". They charged the men, all Black with federal civil rights, conspiracy, and obstruction offenses.
Notably, each of the two civil rights charges carries a maximum punishment of life in prison if convicted while the other two counts have a maximum sentence of 20 years.
"The country watched in horror as Tyre Nichols was kicked, punched, tased and pepper sprayed," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a brief video statement posted online.
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Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr., Emmitt Martin III, and Justin Smith are the accused in the case and have already been charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, official misconduct and "official oppression" by the state prosecutors in Tennessee.
"Tyre Nichols should be alive today. No one in this country should have to bury a loved one because of police violence," Kristen Clarke, who leads the DoJ's civil rights division, told a press conference.
Attorney Micahel Stengel, representing the defence, reflected on the indictment and said: "The indictment is disappointing, but not surprising."
What happened to Nichols?
According to a statement from Memphis police, on January 7 at around 8:30 pm, the accused police officers pulled Nichols for alleged reckless driving. After being confronted, Nichols fled the spot, before being caught and arrested by the police.
The body camera footage which was released days after the incident showed Nichols being kicked, punched in the face and head, and assaulted with a baton by the police.
Nichols, who was 29 at the time and aspired to be a photographer could be heard calling for his mother during the beating, expressing disbelief at being targeted and saying: "I'm just trying to go home."
The case renewed a long-running national discussion of race relations and police brutality.
(With inputs from agencies)
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