Particle.news
Download on the App Store
6 ARTICLES
·
3d ago

Jury Deliberates in Trial of Ex-Memphis Officers Charged in Tyre Nichols' Death

Three former officers face second-degree murder and other charges in the 2023 fatal beating of Nichols, with a verdict pending after closing arguments concluded.

FILE - A portrait of Tyre Nichols is displayed at a memorial service for him on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023 in Memphis, Tenn. Nichols was killed during a traffic stop with Memphis Police on Jan. 7. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz, File
FILE - Candles spell out the name of Tyre Nichols during a candlelight vigil for Nichols on the anniversary of his death, Jan. 7, 2024, in Memphis. (AP Photo/Karen Pulfer Focht, file)
Tadarrius Bean, who was one of five former Memphis police officers who have been charged in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, appears during an arraignment hearing at Shelby County courthouse in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S., February 17, 2023. REUTERS/Karen Pulfer Focht
A combination photo of mugshots shows the Memphis police officers charged with second-degree murder in the death of Tyre Nichols, the young Black man who died three days after he was pulled over and beaten by Memphis police, in Memphis, Tennessee in these photos released to Reuters on January 27, 2023. The officers are clockwise from top left Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin III, Tadarrius Bean and Desmond Mills Jr.. Shelby County Sheriff's Office/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

Overview

  • The jury began deliberations on May 6, 2025, in the state trial of Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, charged with second-degree murder and related offenses.
  • Prosecutors argue the officers used excessive force, failed to intervene, and neglected to seek medical care after Nichols was beaten during a traffic stop.
  • Defense attorneys contend Nichols resisted arrest and claim the officers' actions complied with Memphis Police Department policies.
  • Two other officers involved in the incident, Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin, previously pleaded guilty to state and federal charges and are not on trial.
  • The trial follows a December 2024 DOJ report finding systemic excessive force and racial discrimination within the Memphis Police Department.