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Three Memphis Officers Acquitted in State Trial Over Tyre Nichols' Death

The officers, previously convicted on federal obstruction charges, were found not guilty of murder and other state charges in the 2023 fatal beating of Nichols.

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Former Memphis Police Department officers Demetrius Haley, center, Tadarrius Bean, left, and Justin Smith Jr., right, hug each other after they were acquitted of state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he ran away from a traffic stop. Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (Chris Day/Commercial Appeal/USA Today Network via AP, Pool)
MEMPHIS,TN- OCTOBER 21: Rodney Wells (L) and RowVaughn Wells, parents of Tyre Nichols, pose for a portrait next to Nichols' mural on October 21, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. Tyre Nichols was beaten by several Memphis police officers during a traffic stop in January of 2023, where he suffered a fatal traumatic brain injury. Jury members earlier this month found three of the officers guilty on different charges stemming from Nichols death. (Photo by Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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)

Overview

  • A Tennessee jury acquitted former officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith of all state charges, including second-degree murder, in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols.
  • The acquittals follow their October 2024 federal convictions for obstruction and related charges, with sentencing in that case still pending.
  • The beating, captured on video, showed the officers assaulting Nichols, who later died from blunt force trauma, sparking nationwide protests and calls for police reform.
  • Two other officers, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills, pleaded guilty to state and federal charges and testified against their former colleagues.
  • Nichols' family, represented by civil-rights attorneys, has filed a $550 million lawsuit against the city and police department, with trial set for summer 2026.