5 former police officers charged with murder in the death of Tyre Nichols
Nichols died following a traffic stop
Five former police officers from Memphis, Tennessee have been charged with murder following the death of Tyre Nichols.
Nichols died on 10 January, 2023 following a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop.
He was hospitalised after the encounter with the officers, which family attorneys have claimed involved a savage beating.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr, Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith have now been charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression over the events.
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Shelby County Sheriff’s Office online records show all five officers are now in custody.
Defence lawyer William Massey confirmed to The Associated Press that his client, Emmitt Martin III, had been charged and had turned himself in.
Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, and his stepfather, Rodney Wells, had pushed for first-degree murder charges over the killing of Nichols, but told AP they are 'fine' with the second-degree murder charges.
Second-degree murder is a class A felony punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison under Tennessee law.
"There’s other charges, so I’m all right with that,” Wells said, adding that he was 'ecstatic' authorities had moved quickly in the case.
Emily Brown