Three former Memphis officers were acquitted May 7 of all state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he ran away from a traffic stop, a death that sparked nationwide protests and prompted renewed calls for police reforms in the U.S.
An out-of-town jury from a majority-White county took about 8 1/2 hours over two days to find Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith not guilty on all charges after a nine-day trial in state court in Memphis, which is majority-Black. After the jury’s verdict was read, the defendants hugged their lawyers as relatives of the former officers cried. Outside the courtroom, one relative yelled, “Thank you, Jesus!”A Tennessee jury cleared three former Memphis police officers Wednesday of all state charges stemming from the fatal beating of a Black motorist that sparked protests across the country two years ago.
Each of the three defendants faced a count of second-degree murder, a count of aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct and a count of official oppression. They were acquitted of all.
Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, lawyers for Nichols’ family, called the decision a “devastating miscarriage of justice” in a statement.
“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,” they said.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson also decried the verdicts.
“Tyre and his family deserve true justice — not only in the courtroom, but in Congress, by passing police reform legislation once and for all,” Johnson said in a statement. “Traffic stops should never be a death sentence, and a badge should never— ever — be a shield to accountability.“
Nichols, a FedEx employee and aspiring photographer, was pulled over on suspicion of reckless driving at about 8:24 p.m. CT Jan. 7, 2023.
“Get the f— out the f—-ing car!” an officer screamed as he pulled Nichols out of his car.
“I didn’t do anything,” Nichols responded.
While Nichols was on the pavement, officers could be seen using pepper spray and a Taser on him before he ran away.
He ran toward his mother’s home, but pursuing officers caught up with him about 80 yards short of the house, officials said.
Body camera video showed Nichols being beaten and kicked as he absorbed more pepper spray.
Nichols screamed “Mom!” as he was beaten during the second confrontation with police.
A police training officer and use-of-force expert testified for prosecutors and called the actions officers took against Nichols “unnecessary” and “excessive.”
The beating reflected a common law enforcement practice known as the “street tax” or “run tax” for abusing a suspect who flees, prosecutors have said.
Nichols’ death, three days after the beating, sparked protests against police brutality around the country.
The three defendants still face the prospect of years in prison after they were convicted of federal charges, though they were acquitted of the most serious charges there, too. Two other former officers previously pleaded guilty in both state and federal court, including Emmitt Martin, who defense attorneys blamed for the majority of the violence.