Photo: Lucy Garrett/Getty Images
By: The opinion Posted 12 Sep 2023, 3:35 pm EDT
The five former Memphis police officers charged in the beating death of Tire Nichols were indicted Tuesday on federal civil rights violations by a grand jury.as they continue to fight second-degree murder charges in state courts stemming from the murder.
Although the United States Department of Justice will hold a press conference this afternoon to announce the federal charges, court documents published by the American media indicate that the five agents have already been formally charged.
Tadarrius Bean, Desmond Mills, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin and Justin Smith were indicted in U.S. District Court in Memphis. for the deprivation of rights under color of law by excessive force and lack of intervention, and by deliberate indifference; conspiracy to tamper with witnesses and obstruction of justice by witness tampering.
The new charges come nine months after lThe violent beating of Nichols by police officers during a traffic stop on January 7 near his home in Memphis. The man died in a hospital three days later from the consequences of the police beating.
His case came to light due to the existence of several videos, which were released twenty days later, and which show how the agents detained the young man, forcibly removed him from the vehicle and beat him, kicking him in the head, hitting him with a baton and even using an electric shock stun gun or taser.
After the publication of the video, which generated numerous social protests, The five were expelled from the force and subjected to criminal proceedings in Shelby County, Tennessee. for second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct and official oppression.
Blake Ballin, an attorney representing Mills on the state criminal charges, said the federal indictment is “not unexpected” and that the former officer will defend himself against the federal charges just as he does in state court.
While William Massey, Martin’s attorney, said federal charges were expected. “They are not a surprise,” he said in a text message to the AP.
A hearing was set for Friday morning in the federal lawsuit filed by Nichols’ mother against the five officers, the city of Memphis and its police department. The officers are then scheduled to appear in state court on Friday afternoon.
Last July it was known that The US Attorney’s Office opened an investigation into the city of Memphis and its Police for violation of civil rights, focused on finding out if there is systematic discrimination by agents towards the African-American population.
Its opening took place after having received information about excessive use of force by the officers, punitive use of force in response to behavior that the police consider insolent or about discriminatory stops of African-American citizens for minor infractions.
Following Nichols’ death, Memphis Police announced reforms. Specifically, it decided to permanently dismantle the “Escorpión” unit, to which the agents belonged, and which was created in 2021 with the aim of reducing violence in the city neighborhoods most affected by it.
Read more
– In addition to the 13 involved, 8 other Memphis police officers would face charges after the death of Tire Nichols
– Vice President Kamala Harris will attend Tire Nichols’ funeral in Memphis
– Three Memphis firefighters were fired for their erratic evaluation of Tire Nichols after the beating he received by five police officers