Photo: Scott Olson / / Getty Images
One day after the president Joe Biden demanded a “prompt, full and transparent” investigation into the death of Tire Nicholsrelatives and officials who had access to the video of the arrest said that they were horrified by the brutal attack that led to the death of the 29-year-old.
According to the authorities, Tire Nichols died as a result of injuries sustained while fleeing a traffic stop done three days before. As a result of the events, five Memphis Department agents who were present during the arrest (all of them African-Americans) were removed from their posts and charged with offenses related to injuries, including manslaughter.
CNN reported that the attorney representing the Nichols family, Antonio Romanucci, said that Tire took “an absolute beating, shamelessly, non-stop beating this young man for three minutes and even comparing the beating to “a human piñata”. And even he indicated that the audience “You’re going to have to be prepared” for disturbing scenes in the video.
The The victim’s stepfather, Rodney Wells, who was able to view the images on Monday with his family, lawyers and police officers indicated that it was clear that Nichols “feared for his life” reason why he decided to run. “It didn’t happen because he was trying to get rid of any drugs, any guns, anything like that. She ran because he had for the life of him. When you see the video you will see why he feared for his life“.
This is Tire Nichols — a 29yo Black man who died last week, days after a brutal traffic stop with @MEM_PoliceDept.
Tire’s family described an avid skateboarder who brought joy to all, someone “you know when he comes through the door he wants to give you a hug.” pic.twitter.com/pA79GGQuBz
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) January 17, 2023
Tire’s mother, RowVaughn Wells, called the footage in the video horrifying “when that footage comes out tomorrow, it’s going to be horrible. I haven’t seen it, but from what I’ve heard, it’s going to be horrible.“.
“It’s awful. It’s pitiful. Its inhuman. It’s violent. It is problematic on all levels,” said civil rights lawyer Ben Crump about the video that he did not finish watching because of the high content of violence.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden joined the Tire Nichols family’s call for a peaceful protest after the publication of the video that is expected to take place in the next few hours, but also stated that “while Americans mourn his death, the Department of Justice carries out its investigation and state authorities continue their work, I join the family of Tire in the call for peaceful protest. Outrage is understandable, but violence is never acceptable.”
Crump applauded the reaction of senior police officers “When we look at how these five black officers who were caught on camera committing a crime, and when we look at how quickly the police chief and the department fired them, and how quickly the district attorney filed charges against them, in less than 20 days, we want to proclaim this as the model to follow”.
But he also added that he wants everyone, regardless of skin color, to be subjected to the same punishments “when it comes to a white officer, quick action is also important. We will not allow black officers to be treated differently than white officers“.