Jury selection was set to commence on Monday in the federal trial involving three former Memphis officers accused of violating the civil rights of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old man whose deadly beating was captured on police cameras, sparking protests and demands for police reform.
The three former officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith – have entered not guilty pleas to charges including excessive force, failure to intervene, and obstructing justice through witness tampering in connection with Nichols’ case.
Nichols was pulled over in January 2023, and following an altercation with the police, he was pursued and physically assaulted in a Memphis neighborhood as captured by police video footage.
Around 200 individuals will be considered for jury selection in the trial expected to span three to four weeks and attract national media attention. Nichols’ relatives are anticipated to be present during the proceedings.
Nichols, an African American, passed away in a hospital on January 10, 2023, after sustaining injuries from being kicked, punched, and struck with a police baton. Subsequent police videos revealed five officers, also African American, participating in the beating while Nichols called out for his mother near his residence. The footage also depicted officers conversing amongst themselves as Nichols struggled with his injuries on the ground.
According to the police, Nichols was initially pulled over for reckless driving, a claim refuted by Memphis’ police chief due to lack of evidence.
Nichols, who was employed by FedEx, had hobbies like skateboarding and photography.
An autopsy disclosed that Nichols’ demise was a result of head injuries, with the manner of death classified as a homicide. The autopsy report detailed brain trauma, as well as cuts and contusions on the head and other areas of his body.
The trio of officers facing trial, along with Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., were terminated for breaching Memphis Police Department guidelines following Nichols’ death. They were members of a task force known as the Scorpion unit, disbanded subsequent to the incident.
Post their dismissal, the five officers faced second-degree murder charges in state court, where they pleaded not guilty. They were later indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023.
Mills and Martin have accepted guilt in federal court and might serve as witnesses during the trial. A trial date in state court has yet to be determined.
