Three ex-Tennessee police officers were cleared of all charges on Wednesday in connection to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in January 2023. They were acquitted of several accusations, including second-degree murder.
After a nine-day trial in a Memphis state court, it took the jury just over eight hours to declare Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith not guilty of all charges. Despite this outcome, the former officers still face imprisonment due to prior federal convictions last year.
“Today’s verdicts are a grave miscarriage of justice,” stated civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, representatives of Nichols’ family. “The world witnessed the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols by those entrusted to protect and serve. Despite the attack being caught on video, the responsible officers were acquitted.”
Memphis Police Department Officers Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean, Emmitt Martin, Desmond Mills and Justin Smith were terminated on Jan. 18, 2023, in connection to the beating death of Tyre Nichols. (Memphis Police Department)
They also pleaded guilty in federal court, where sentencing for all five officers is pending.
Prosecutors said the five officers used excessive force as they tried to arrest Nichols. Defense lawyers said Nichols continued to resist arrest. Defense lawyers have argued that the fatal beating would not have taken place if Nichols had just allowed himself to be handcuffed.
During his testimony, Mills said the officers were afraid and exhausted but noted that some of the methods used on Nichols complied with police department policies, including using wrist locks and hitting with a baton.
Martin Zummach, Smith’s attorney, said credit and debit cards that did not belong to Nichols were found in his car when it was searched after the beating and said it was likely why Nichols ran from the traffic stop.
Former Memphis Police Department officers Demetrius Haley, center, Tadarrius Bean, left, and Justin Smith hug each other on Wednesday after they were acquitted of state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in January 2023. (Chris Day/Commercial Appeal/USA Today Network via AP/Pool)
“This is Emmitt Martin’s and Tyre Nichols’ doing,” Zummach said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
