Memphis releases video of police beating Tyre Nichols; 2 deputies sent on vacation

The Shelby County Sheriff said two police officers who arrived on the scene after the beating have been relieved of duty while the investigation is underway.

MEPHIS, Tennessee. Memphis authorities on Friday released video footage showing Tyre Nichols being beaten by police officers who held down the black motorist and beat him repeatedly with fists, boots and clubs as he screamed for his mother and begged, “I’m just trying to get home.”

The video is filled with violent moments in which officers, who are also black, harass and beat Nichols and leave him on the sidewalk leaning against a squad car as they punch and celebrate their actions.

The footage came a day after police officers were charged with Nichols’ murder. Chilling images of yet another black man killed by police have resurrected thorny questions about how fatal clashes with law enforcement continue even after repeated calls for change.

The footage shows police brutally beating a 29-year-old FedEx worker for three minutes, shouting profanity at him throughout the attack. The Nichols family legal team compared the attack to the infamous 1991 police beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King.

After the first officer roughly hauls Nichols out of the car, Nichols can be heard saying “I didn’t do anything” as a group of officers begin to wrestle him on the ground.

One of the officers is heard shouting: “Beat him! Feel it!”

Nichols calmly says, “Okay, I’m on the ground.”

“You guys are really doing a lot right now,” says Nichols. “I’m just trying to get home.

“Stop, I’m not doing anything,” he shouts after a few moments.

Nichols can then be seen running as an officer fires a taser at him. The officers then start chasing Nichols.

Other officers are called and a search begins before Nichols is caught at another intersection. The police beat him with batons, kicked and punched him.

CCTV footage shows three officers surrounding Nichols, who is lying in the street in a corner between police cars, with a fourth officer standing next to him.

Two officers pin Nichols to the ground as he moves, and then a third appears to kick him in the head. Nichols flops more fully onto the pavement, and all three officers surround him. The same officer kicks him again.

A fourth officer then comes forward, swings the baton and holds it at shoulder level, while two officers hold Nichols upright as if he were seated.

“I’ll beat you the fuck out with a club,” one of the officers can be heard saying. His body camera shows him raising his baton while at least one other officer holds Nichols. The officer hits Nichols on the back with a club three times in a row.

Then the other officers seem to haul Nichols to his feet, and he flops down like a doll, barely holding himself upright.

The officer then punches him in the face as the baton officer continues to threaten him. Nichols stumbles and turns, still supported by two officers. The officer who hit him then approaches Nichols and hits him three more times. Then Nichols collapses.

Two officers can then be seen riding Nichols on the ground with a third row for about 40 seconds. Three more officers then run up and one of them can be seen kicking Nichols to the ground.

At some point, Nichols leans against the car, and none of the officers provide assistance. Body camera footage shows one of them reaching out and tying his shoelaces in POV.

More than 20 minutes elapsed after Nichols was beaten and lying on the sidewalk before he received any medical attention, although two firefighters arrived at the scene with medical equipment within 10 minutes.

Cities across the country prepared for mass demonstrations. Nichols’ relatives urged supporters to protest peacefully.

Memphis Police Director Serelyn Davis described the officers’ actions as “disgusting, reckless and inhuman” and said her department failed to substantiate the charge of reckless driving that caused the stop.

In an interview with The Associated Press, she said there was no traffic stop video of Nichols driving recklessly.

During the first stop, the video shows that the officers “have already dispersed, about 10 minutes,” she said. The officers behaved “aggressively, loudly, used profanity and probably frightened Mr. Nichols right from the start.”

Nichols’ mother, Rowan Wells, pleaded for peace.

“I don’t want us to burn down our city, smash the streets, because that’s not what my son stood for,” she said on Thursday. “If you guys are here for me and Tyra, then you will peacefully protest.”

Speaking at the White House, President Joe Biden said on Friday he was “very concerned” at the prospect of violence and urged the protests to remain peaceful.

Biden said he spoke to Nichols’ mother earlier that day and told her he was going to “apply” to Congress to pass the George Floyd bill “to get this under control.” The stalled law is designed to crack down on police misconduct and excessive use of force, and to step up federal and state accountability efforts.

Court records showed that all five former officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith – were taken into custody.

Each officer faces charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, misconduct and official harassment. According to court and prison records, four of the five officers posted bail and were released from custody by Friday morning.

Second-degree murder is punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison under Tennessee law.

Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner said in a statement late Friday night that two police deputies who showed up at the scene after the beating had been relieved of duty pending an internal investigation.

Patrick Yoes, national president of the Fraternal Police Order, denounced the alleged actions of the Memphis officers.

“The event described to us is not legitimate police work or a traffic violation. This is a criminal offense under the pretext of the law,” Yoes said in a statement.

Rallies and demonstrations were scheduled for Friday night in Memphis, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Portland, Oregon and Washington.

Romanucci and civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who also represents the Nichols family, called on the police chief to disband the department’s so-called street crime unit.

Davis said other officers are still under investigation for violating department policy. In addition, she said that a “complete and independent review” of the department’s specialized units would be carried out, without giving details.

As the state and federal investigation continues, Davis promised the police department “full and comprehensive cooperation.”

Content Source

Dallas Press News – Latest News:
Dallas Local News || Fort Worth Local News | Texas State News || Crime and Safety News || National news || Business News || Health News

texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

Related Articles

Back to top button