Five Memphis police officers were responsible for the death of Tyre Nichols. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said that the January 7 traffic stop video will be released this week. The footage showed officers violently beating the 29-year-old FedEx worker and father for three minutes. Each officer faces second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official oppression, and official misconduct. The Memphis Police said that the police officers were terminated on January 18.
According to Fox News, at least two of the five former police officers posted bonds on Thursday. Former officers Desmond Mills and Justin Smith have each paid $250,000. Meanwhile, the other three former officers remain in custody with a $350,000 bond set for former officers Emmit Martin III and Demetrius Halley and a $250,000 bond for former officer Tadarius Bean.
(From left to right) Former police officers Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, and Justin Smith were allegedly responsible for the death of Tyre Nichols. (Photo: Fox News)
William Massey and Blake Ballin, respective lawyers of Martin and Mills, said that their clients would plead “not guilty” as no one intended to kill Nichols that night. However, both lawyers revealed they had not seen the video. Ballin said, “We are in the dark about many things, just like the general public is.”
He also gave a comment regarding the timing of the video’s release, “would hope that whoever is making the decision – whether its Mr. Mulroy or the police director – that they’ve all met together and tried to decide what is the best time to do, to make sure that they have whey they need in place to ensure that any protests are peaceful.”
