Tyre Nichols was beaten like a 'human piñata' by Memphis police, lawyer says

Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old black man who died in Tennessee after being stopped by police at a traffic stop for reckless driving, was beaten non-stop like a "human piñata", lawyers for his family have said. His family saw the footage of the incident on Monday and described the scene as violent and disturbing. His mother, Rowvaughn Wells, called his death a "murder" by police.

“He was defenseless the entire time. He was a human piñata for those police officers. It was an unadulterated, unabashed, non-stop beating of this young boy for three minutes,” attorney Antonio Romanucci said during a news conference Monday.

Nichols succumbed to unspecified injuries on January 10, three days after the incident. The Memphis Police Department fired five officers following the incident.

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"My son was a beautiful soul," Rowvaughn Wells said. "Nobody is perfect, but he was damn near." She also said that her son didn't use drugs, nor carried weapons.

Nichols was on his way to Shelby Farms Park when he was stopped by Memphis police. Officials say that he was pulled over for reckless driving, following which two "confrontations" occurred.

The police approached the vehicle and he tried to flee, officials said, and later a second confrontation happened when they tried to arrest him. He later complained of shortness of breath and was taken to the hospital, police said. No official cause for his death has been released yet.

After watching the video, Rodney Wells, Nichols’ stepfather, said, “What I saw on the video today was horrific. No father, mother should have to witness what I saw today.”

Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is also representing the family, compared the videos to the 1991 beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles Police Department officers.

“It is appalling. It is deplorable. It is heinous. It is violent. It is troublesome on every level," Crump said.

"One of the last things we hear from him, he calls for his Mom," said Crump.

The video will be released publicly by authorities in one to two weeks, the family informed.

The Memphis Police Department has fired five officers following an investigation into the incident.

(With inputs from agencies)

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