3 former Memphis police officers acquitted in death of Tyre Nichols

Three former Tennessee police officers on trial in the January 2023 fatal beating of Tyre Nichols were acquitted Wednesday of all charges, including second-degree murder. 

Jurors took a little more than eight hours to find Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith not guilty on all charges after a nine-day trial in state court in Memphis. The former officers still face jail time after being convicted of federal charges last year. 

“Today’s verdicts are a devastating miscarriage of justice,” civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represent Nichols’ family, said in a statement after the verdict. “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.

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Tyre Nichols was fatally beaten by five Memphis police officers in January 2023. Three of those officers were acquitted of state charges in his death on Wednesday. (Courtesy of the Nichols family via AP)

Nichols, who was Black, was near his mother’s home when he ran from the traffic stop after he was pulled over on Jan. 7, 2023. He fled despite being hit with pepper spray and a Taser. 

The five officers involved in his death, who were fired after the beating, also are Black. Once they caught up with Nichols, they kicked and punched him as they struggled to handcuff him, prosecutors said. 

Nichols’ death three days later prompted intense scrutiny of the Memphis Police Department. 

Footage of the beating captured by a police pole camera showed the officers milling about, talking and laughing as Nichols struggled.

Former Memphis officer Desmond Mills Jr., who was also charged in Nichols’ death, testified as a prosecution witness. Mills and another officer involved in the beating, Emmitt Martin, have agreed to plead guilty to the state charges and did not stand trial under deals with prosecutors.

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Memphis Police Department Officers Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean, Emmitt Martin, Desmond Mills and Justin Smith were terminated on Jan. 18, 2023, in connection to the beating death of Tyre Nichols. (Memphis Police Department)

They also pleaded guilty in federal court, where sentencing for all five officers is pending.

Prosecutors said the five officers used excessive force as they tried to arrest Nichols. Defense lawyers said Nichols continued to resist arrest. Defense lawyers have argued that the fatal beating would not have taken place if Nichols had just allowed himself to be handcuffed.

During his testimony, Mills said the officers were afraid and exhausted but noted that some of the methods used on Nichols complied with police department policies, including using wrist locks and hitting with a baton.

Martin Zummach, Smith’s attorney, said credit and debit cards that did not belong to Nichols were found in his car when it was searched after the beating and said it was likely why Nichols ran from the traffic stop.

Former Memphis Police Department officers Demetrius Haley, center, Tadarrius Bean, left, and Justin Smith hug each other on Wednesday after they were acquitted of state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in January 2023. (Chris Day/Commercial Appeal/USA Today Network via AP/Pool)

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“This is Emmitt Martin’s and Tyre Nichols’ doing,” Zummach said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.