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Atlantic
09-05-2025
- Atlantic
Tyre Nichols and the End of Police Reform
This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. In January 2023, I traveled to Memphis to report on the killing of Tyre Nichols, an unarmed Black man beaten to death by a group of Memphis police officers. Like most Americans, I have seen far too many videos in recent years of police brutalizing people, and I had reported on the particular failures of justice in Memphis, a city afflicted by both underpolicing—in the form of high rates of violent crime in its poorest neighborhoods—and overpolicing, in the form of widespread abuse. Even so, I was shocked by what I saw when the city released videos. A team of police from a special squad called the SCORPION unit savagely beat Nichols and then didn't bother to provide any medical aid. They did most of this underneath SkyCop, one of the ubiquitous Memphis surveillance cameras, evidently unworried that they would face repercussions for their actions. They were wrong—but not that wrong. Although five officers were quickly fired, and the SCORPION unit was disbanded, it now seems possible that few, if any, will be convicted of the most serious charges in a man's senseless death. This week, at a trial in Memphis, a jury acquitted three of the former officers involved in Nichols's death on several charges, including second-degree murder. Two others have agreed to plead guilty to some federal and state charges, and one testified in the trial. The same three officers were convicted of witness tampering in a federal trial last year, and one was convicted of violating Nichols's civil rights by causing bodily injury. There is still no good explanation for why any of this happened; Memphis Police Chief C. J. Davis said that the officers appeared to have no reason to pull Nichols over in a traffic stop. Yet as soon as they did, some of the officers drew weapons and began pepper-spraying and manhandling him. When he—understandably—tried to escape, police called for backup, gave chase, and eventually caught him. 'I hope they stomp his ass,' one officer, who did not chase Nichols and was not charged, was recorded saying. His fellow officers did, beating Nichols just yards from his mother's house. He died at a hospital. Prosecutors did face some challenges in this case, despite the existence of video evidence. First, officers are seldom charged with murder, and when they are, they are seldom convicted. Second, the three former officers who stood trial were, in the words of the deputy district attorney, the ' least culpable,' compared with the two who agreed to plead guilty. Third, defense lawyers successfully argued that widespread news coverage in Memphis of the killing would preclude a fair trial, so instead of a jury pool from Memphis, which is majority-Black, the jury was all white and drawn from around Chattanooga, on the opposite side of Tennessee. Even so, District Attorney Steve Mulroy seemed shell-shocked after the verdict. 'Was I surprised that there wasn't a single guilty verdict on any of the counts or any of the lesser included offenses, given the overwhelming evidence that I think that we presented?' he said, his voice straining. 'Yes, I was surprised. Do I have an explanation for it? No.' Nichols's mother, RowVaughn Wells, not bound by the same ethical guidelines as a prosecutor, was blunter. 'Those people were allowed to come here, look at the evidence, and deny the evidence,' she said. The outrage that met George Floyd's murder in 2020 seemed at first to be a turning point for criminal justice. After a string of high-profile cases starting in 2015, officials and the public were aligned in demanding law-enforcement reforms that would punish and prevent needless killings. But as I wrote when Derek Chauvin was convicted for kneeling on Floyd's neck until he died, that case was a rare exception—not least because of the stomach-churning video evidence involved and the strong condemnation by the Minneapolis police chief. Although individual prosecutions were important, the greater need, I argued, was for systemic reforms. The verdict in Memphis shows what an outlier Chauvin's conviction was: Despite videos at least as horrifying, despite the police chief's quick action to fire the officers and condemn their behavior, these three former officers escaped murder convictions. Meanwhile, the changing political winds and rising violent crime after 2020 helped the movement toward broader reform stall out, both locally in Memphis and nationally. In early 2024, Memphis city council refused to reappoint Davis, but she continued serving as interim chief. Earlier this year, Davis got her permanent title back. Around the same time, the city of Memphis refused to enter into a consent decree that would allow oversight from the U.S. Department of Justice, which had found 'a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of their rights under the Constitution and federal law,' documented in appalling detail. City leaders knew that once Donald Trump took office, the Justice Department would pull back on oversight of local police departments and civil-rights laws, just as his administration had done the first time. Trump has long called for more brutal policing, complaining that cops aren't allowed to fight crime with the necessary toughness. 'Please don't be too nice,' he said in a speech to Long Island officers in 2017. After taking office this time, he closed a database tracking serious offenses by federal police officers, which was designed to facilitate background checks; he also issued an order to 'unleash' police officers and to have private law firms provide pro bono legal defense for officers accused of misconduct. 'What I do know is this: Tyre Nichols is dead, and deserves to be alive,' Mulroy said on Wednesday. The failure of courts to convict the former officers who beat him of murder, and of politicians to bring greater accountability, means that he will not be the last to suffer an unjust death. Here are four new stories from The Atlantic: Today's News A federal judge ordered the U.S. government to immediately release from federal custody Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University doctoral student who was arrested in March. The judge said that the only rationale the government has provided for her arrest is an op-ed criticizing Israel that she co-wrote last year. The Trump administration is planning to accept and help resettle a group of white South Africans because of allegations that they are experiencing racial discrimination in South Africa. They are the first white South Africans to be granted refugee status in America. David Souter, a former Supreme Court justice, died at 85 years old. Dispatches Evening Read AI Is Not Your Friend By Mike Caulfield Recently, after an update that was supposed to make ChatGPT 'better at guiding conversations toward productive outcomes,' according to release notes from OpenAI, the bot couldn't stop telling users how brilliant their bad ideas were. ChatGPT reportedly told one person that their plan to sell literal 'shit on a stick' was 'not just smart—it's genius' … But this was not just a ChatGPT problem. Sycophancy is a common feature of chatbots. More From The Atlantic Retell. Making the film Warfare (in select theaters) was an exercise in exposure therapy for the veterans whose memories it reconstructs, Shirley Li writes. Read. These stories offer a starting point—and perhaps some insights—for those trying to understand their mom, Sophia Stewart writes. Play our daily crossword.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tyre Nichols case: How we got here
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A jury brought in from the Chattanooga area came to a verdict of not guilty Wednesday on all seven criminal charges for three ex-Memphis Police officers accused in Tyre Nichols' death in 2023. NOT GUILTY: Jury reaches verdict for officers in Tyre Nichols death How did we get here? The traffic stop that led to Tyre Nichols' death happened Jan. 7, 2023, when video shows officers punching and kicking Nichols on the ground near his family's southeast Memphis home. He died in a hospital three days later. On Jan. 20, five Memphis Police officers were fired: Desmond Mills, Emmitt Martin, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith. Dashcam and SkyCop video of the beating was released to the public Jan. 27. The Scorpion Unit the officers were part of was disbanded by MPD the next day. On Oct. 2, 2024, a federal jury released a mixed verdict for the officers, finding them guilty on some charges and not guilty on others. The state criminal trial for Bean, Haley and Smith began April 28. The jury began deliberating Tuesday. Nichols' family still has a $550 million civil lawsuit pending against the city of Memphis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
USA Today
07-05-2025
- USA Today
Ex-police officers found not guilty of murder in Tyre Nichols beating death
Ex-police officers found not guilty of murder in Tyre Nichols beating death Three ex-Memphis police officers faced state charges, including second-degree murder and aggravated assault, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. An out-of-town-jury in the Tyre Nichols state case returned a not guilty verdict on all counts for three of the former Memphis police officers charged in his death. Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith, Jr. were charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. The out-of-town jury was mostly-white from Hamilton County. Five officers pepper-sprayed, punched and kicked Nichols, a 29-year-old father, skateboarder and FedEx worker, during a 2023 traffic stop. Release of video of the beating sparked protests and vigils across the nation and calls for change within the Memphis Police Department. During the trial, attorneys for Bean, Haley and Smith said Nichols resisted arrest and was dangerous to the officers. They noted drugs and stolen credit cards were found in Nichols' car and said he could have had superhuman strength due to drug use. Prosecutors said the officers beat Nichols to death, pointing to his severe injuries, and tried to cover it up afterward. What happened to Tyre Nichols? Nichols was pulled over in the evening hours of Jan. 7, 2023. Haley and another officer initially pulled him over and pulled him from his car. A struggle ensued, with pepper spray being used and a Taser being fired at Nichols as he ran from officers. It is unclear if the Taser made contact with him. Another set of officers eventually caught up to Nichols, who was running toward his mother's house. He was less than 100 yards away when he was tackled. When more officers got to the scene, while officers held Nichols' arms and hit him with a barrage of kicks, punches, baton strikes and pepper spray. The assault lasted minutes and was captured on body cameras and a SkyCop camera. When Nichols goes limp, he is handcuffed and leaned against an unmarked squad car. More than 20 minutes pass before he is put on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. Officers still facing federal prison time All three former officers were convicted in federal court and face time in federal prison. Sentencing for the federal case was postponed until the state case reached an end. Bean and Smith were acquitted of civil rights violations but found guilty of witness tampering and face up to 20 years in federal prison. Haley was found guilty on all counts — using excessive force, being deliberately indifferent to Nichols' medical needs, witness tampering and conspiracy to witness tamper — but that jury found that when Haley violated Nichols' civil rights it resulted in injury, not death. Haley could serve a life sentence in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Two other former officers, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills, Jr., took a plea deal and pleaded guilty in the federal case to using excessive force and conspiracy to witness tamper. Mills' plea agreement extended to the state case and he will serve both his federal and state sentences at the same time. Martin and Mills testified during the federal trial. Mills testified during the state trial. Lucas Finton covers crime, policing, jails, the courts and criminal justice policy for The Commercial Appeal, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at or on X @LucasFinton.
USA Today
01-05-2025
- USA Today
Tyre Nichols murder trial is underway. What to know about the deadly traffic stop
Tyre Nichols murder trial is underway. What to know about the deadly traffic stop Three ex-Memphis police officers are facing state charges including second-degree murder and aggravated assault in the beating death of Tyre Nichols. The state criminal trial of three former Memphis police officers charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop resumed for a fourth day of testimony. Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith Jr. are facing charges that include second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. All three defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial started on April 28. Two other officers took plea deals ahead of a federal trial last year and will not be tried as part of this state trial, though they could testify. The out-of-town jury hearing the case is from Hamilton County, Tennessee, and is mostly white, made up of nine women and six men. The jury will be sequestered for the duration of the trial. Here's a brief timeline of what happened leading up to the trial and what witnesses have said so far. What happened to Tyre Nichols? Nichols was pulled over in the evening hours of Jan. 7, 2023. Haley and another officer initially pulled him over and pulled him from his car. A struggle ensued, with pepper spray being used and a Taser being fired at Nichols as he ran from officers. It is unclear if the Taser made contact with him. Another set of officers eventually caught up to Nichols, who was running toward his mother's house. He was less than 100 yards away when he was tackled. When more officers got to the scene, while officers held Nichols' arms and hit him with a barrage of kicks, punches, baton strikes and pepper spray. The assault lasted minutes and was captured on body cameras and a SkyCop camera. When Nichols goes limp, he is handcuffed and leaned against an unmarked squad car. More than 20 minutes pass before he is put on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. Nichols was in critical condition when he arrived at the hospital. He died three days later when he was taken off life support. Defense starts presenting its case and raises questions about drugs, stolen credit cards In opening statements, defense attorneys focused on Nichols resisting arrest, and the dangers of being a Memphis cop. Attorneys for each of the three former officers on trial ‒ Bean, Haley and Smith ‒ took a slightly different approach with the jury, but argued a similar theme: Nichols was dangerous to the officers. They said drugs and stolen credit cards were found in Nichols' car and argued he could have had superhuman strength due to drug use. Investigators confirmed IDs, credit cards, psilocybin and multiple items that tested positive for cannabis were found in Nichols' vehicle. The officers' lawyers also argued the traffic stop was warranted and Nichols resisted arrest and struggled against them. 'My son was beaten to a pulp' Emotional testimony as Tyre Nichols murder trial begins Former officer who fired Taser says he heard Nichols grabbed gun Former Memphis police officer Preston Hemphill, who was fired but not criminally charged after firing his Taser at at Nichols, said he saw Nichols switch lanes without a blinker and said he was fleeing from police. That, according to Hemphill, gave him reason to pull over the car. During the stop, Hemphill said Nichols struggled with officers, and Haley pushed him into the car. At one point, Hemphill said he heard Emmitt Martin III, one of the officers who took a plea deal, yell, 'Let go my gun.' 'It increased the risk as high as it can go for me,' Hemphill said. Hemphill said he tried to bear hug Nichols, but was unable to keep him restrained. He fired his Taser, but did not know that his weapon failed to connect with Nichols until after the incident. Hemphill estimated he, Haley and Martin weighed about 750 pounds collectively. Defense attorney Martin Zummach asked Hemphill if he was exaggerating when he said Nichols pushed all three men off him. Hemphill said no, he was not exaggerating. TBI investigator said drugs, stolen credit cards were found Nichols' car Special Agent Charles 'Chuck' Baker, the lead investigator with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on Nichols' case, confirmed IDs and credit cards were found in Nichols' car. Baker also said there were 1.77 grams of psilocybin and multiple items that tested positive for cannabis in Nichols' vehicle. A charred substance, he said, was 0.6 grams of cannabis. Baker said TBI did not do independent toxicology testing, but did obtain copies of tests done by the hospital. Zummach pushed hard on Baker about whether TBI investigators were aware that the accused officers believed Nichols was high and when bloodwork was done on Nichols. Baker said TBI also reviewed allegations that Nichols had an extremely high pain tolerance and a large amount of strength. Those allegations, Baker said, were not founded, based on the video and other evidence. Michael Stengel, Haley's attorney, asked about the stolen cards found in Nichols' car. In total, Stengel showed five credit cards, debit cards, and IDs. "Say everything in that car was stolen, it still has no bearing on me as to the seriousness of the crime I was asked to investigate," Baker later told Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman. Hagerman went on to point out that none of the officers on trial knew about the drugs or cards found in the car. He also asked if Baker has ever associated psilocybin use with superhuman strength. Baker said he has never found someone on psilocybin to be super strong. Hagerman asked the same questions about marijuana use. 'No, they're very peaceful,' Baker said. Medical examiner found Nichols' cause of death was homicide Dr. Marco Ross, the chief medical examiner for the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center, said Nichols had multiple injuries including abrasions and bruises across his body. Ross said some injuries were 'superficial,' but the investigation of Nichols' body revealed deeper traumas and damage. Ross said there was hemorrhaging due to multiple areas of tearing within Nichols' brain. Ross said Nichols also had axonal injuries due to the trauma from impact. Axons are part of nerve cells, he explained, and connect with other nerves. They're important for sending electrical signals throughout the body, he said. 'Most commonly, I've usually seen these types of injuries in car accidents,' Ross said. "It's the power of the forces involved with the impact on the head.' Ross said Nichols' cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and the manner of death was homicide. According to Ross, Nichols tested positive for alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, drugs administered by paramedics and hospital staff, and marijuana products. Nichols' alcohol level was .049 on the breathalyzer scale, according to Ross. He added that Nichols' marijuana levels were seen in standard, recreational use. Former officer shared photo of Nichols 11 times after beating After the beating, Haley took a photo of Nichols' body leaned up against the side of an unmarked police cruiser, according to Derek Miller, a cybercrimes forensics expert with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The photo, presented for the first time publicly, showed Nichols leaned against a car with his hands cuffed behind his back. His clothes were dirty, presumably from being thrown to the ground, and his mouth was covered in blood. Miller said it is believed the photo was shared "up to 11 times." He added that the first person who received the photo had it sent to them "two or three minutes" after it was taken. Officer who pepper sprayed Nichols admits to lying about beating Former Memphis Police Department officer Desmond Mills Jr., one of the five officers charged in relation to Nichols' death, said he pepper-sprayed Nichols three times and sprayed multiple people, including himself and other officers. Mills took a plea deal before the federal trial and could be sentenced to life in prison. Mills said Nichols did not throw a punch or kick. He added the beating Nichols received should have been stopped by himself or others. After the beating, Mills said Martin asked him to turn off his body camera. Mills said he obliged and they talked about what prompted the officers to beat up Nichols. Mills said he later lied on police paperwork to keep himself and his coworkers out of trouble. He said he didn't know a SkyCop camera at the scene recorded what happened. On the footage, Nichols can be heard screaming for his mother as officers held him on the ground, pepper sprayed him and asked for his hands. "During any of those videos did you ever say stop?' Hagerman asked Mills. 'No,' Mills replied. Tyre Nichols' mother shares emotional toll of losing her son Nichols' mother, RowVaugh Wells spoke about the emotional toll of losing her son on the first day of the trial. Wells is softspoken on most days, and her voice wavered as she recalled police arriving at her house the night Nichols was beaten. Her voice, still quiet, grew firm when Headley asked about Nichols' appearance when Wells visited him in the hospital. "My son was beaten to a pulp. His head was the size of a watermelon," she said. "He was bruised from head to toe." Federal charges adjudicated, mixed verdicts In 2023, federal prosecutors announced criminal indictments of five officers in the death, including Bean, Haley, Martin, Mills and Smith. That case went to trial in September 2024. Martin and Mills entered into plea deals prior to trial and both testified in the federal case. Bean and Smith were found guilty of witness tampering but were acquitted of all other civil rights charges. Haley was found guilty on all counts — using excessive force, being deliberately indifferent, witness tampering and conspiracy to witness tamper.
