Former Memphis officers found guilty of lesser charges in beating death of Tyre Nichols

Although they were exonerated of the most serious counts that could have resulted in life in prison, three former Memphis police officers were found guilty on Thursday of witness tampering related to the beating death of Black motorist Tyre Nichols by a federal jury in Tennessee.
In state court in Tennessee, the policemen might still be put on trial for murder. Police footage captured five Black cops punching, kicking, pepper-spraying, and striking 29-year-old Nichols with a baton on January 7, 2023, while he called out for his mother. Nichols was also an ardent skateboarder and photographer. His death sparked outcry and spurred police reform. In a hospital, he passed away after three days.

Two charges of the “lesser included crime of deprivation of rights resulting in bodily injury,” each carrying a possible 10-year term, were found guilty by the jury against one of the cops, Demetrius Haley. A life sentence in jail might have been the consequence of the jury’s decision to not conclude that the offense was punishable by death.

In addition, Haley was found guilty of both charges of witness tampering, which are punishable by up to 20 years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. Just one count of witness tampering was proven against Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith, the other two policemen. After testifying against their former colleagues in the trial and entering a guilty plea to federal charges, two more former policemen said that Nichols did not represent a threat during the meeting.

Both of them plus the three officers who were on trial – Bean, Haley and Smith – are Black. In a different case that was placed on hold pending the outcome of the federal trial, the police are also charged with second-degree murder in Tennessee state court. There is no definite date for the trial.

In her final argument on Wednesday, prosecutor Kathryn Gilbert stated that the police “thought they would get away with it,” attempted to conceal the beating, and beat Nichols to death. This was reported by the Commercial Appeal newspaper. This was not a single blow. None of the accused attempted to halt it; it kept happening over and over and over again, according to Gilbert. She also said that the police did not report Nichols’ injuries to the paramedics or attempt to provide him with medical attention.

The Commercial Appeal stated that during Wednesday’s final statement, Bean’s defense attorney, John Keith Perry, informed the jury that the incident was caused by “poor training and poor policies.” In response to a subject’s conduct, he claimed that a police officer must make snap judgments. Due to Nichols’ reckless driving and his attempt to beat a red light, the police stopped him, according to the prosecution during the trial. Film footage revealed that cops dragged Nichols out of his car, shoved him on the ground, and held him down while threatening to beat, spray, and use a Taser.