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State Trial Highlights Officers' Actions in Tyre Nichols' Fatal Beating

Prosecutors present video evidence and testimony, with ex-officer Mills admitting to anger-driven baton strikes and failure to intervene.

Desmond Mills Jr., another former Memphis police officer involved in the death of Tyre Nichols, took a plea deal with prosecutors and testified Tuesday during the trial of three other former police officers.
Demetrius Haley, a former Memphis police officer, has pleaded not guilty to state charges related to the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Special Agent Derek Miller, left, testified during the trial of three former Memphis police officers accused in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols, in Memphis, Tennessee, on Wednesday.
A photograph of Tyre Nichols holding his child sits in the foyer of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church on February 1, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Overview

  • Three former Memphis officers face state charges including second-degree murder for their roles in Tyre Nichols' fatal beating in January 2023.
  • Prosecutors showcased footage of the beating and argued the officers acted out of anger and failed to provide necessary medical information to paramedics.
  • Ex-officer Desmond Mills Jr., testifying under a plea deal, admitted to striking Nichols with a baton out of anger after pepper-spraying himself.
  • Defense attorneys argue Nichols resisted arrest and question whether the officers' actions violated department policies or were intentional misconduct.
  • The trial follows a DOJ investigation that found systemic excessive force and racial discrimination within the Memphis Police Department.