Tag Archives: Tyre

Justice Department investigating Memphis policing methods, months after Tyre Nichols’ death – The Associated Press

  1. Justice Department investigating Memphis policing methods, months after Tyre Nichols’ death The Associated Press
  2. U.S. Department of Justice investigating Memphis Police after death of Tyre Nichols WBIR Channel 10
  3. Department of Justice to investigate city of Memphis and its police department CNN
  4. Watch live: DOJ makes Memphis announcement on civil rights matter amid Tyre Nichols investigation Commercial Appeal
  5. Memphis community activists respond to DOJ launching civil rights investigation into Memphis Police ABC24 Memphis
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Police supervisor in Tyre Nichols’ death retired with benefits day prior to termination hearing: reports – The Hill

  1. Police supervisor in Tyre Nichols’ death retired with benefits day prior to termination hearing: reports The Hill
  2. MPD lieutenant retires one day before hearing over Tyre Nichols death NBC News
  3. Newly obtained documents identify senior officer at Tyre Nichols’ arrest, show he retired before he could be fired CNN
  4. WATCH: MPD supervisor at Tyre Nichols’ arrest retired a day before his termination hearing, documents show FOX13 Memphis
  5. Retired Memphis cop should face punishment in Tyre Nichols death: family New York Post
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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State board says Memphis Fire Department personnel may have ‘contributed to the demise’ of Tyre Nichols – CNN

  1. State board says Memphis Fire Department personnel may have ‘contributed to the demise’ of Tyre Nichols CNN
  2. 4th Memphis Fire Department employee investigated in Tyre Nichols’ death as review nears end USA TODAY
  3. WATCH: Disciplinary actions expected soon for additional MPD officers in Tyre Nichols’ death FOX13 Memphis
  4. Video key in Tyre Nichols case but challenges remain in prosecuting former Memphis officers, experts say Commercial Appeal
  5. Tyre Nichols death: National police reform not needed; here’s how to fix things | Opinion TCPalm
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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A Man Is Suing The Police Officers Charged With Killing Tyre Nichols For Allegedly Beating Him Just Three Days Earlier – BuzzFeed News

  1. A Man Is Suing The Police Officers Charged With Killing Tyre Nichols For Allegedly Beating Him Just Three Days Earlier BuzzFeed News
  2. 5 Memphis police officers charged in deadly beating of Tyre Nichols allegedly assaulted another man just three days before, federal lawsuit says CNN
  3. Man says officers accused of killing Tyre Nichols brutally beat him, too. He’s suing Miami Herald
  4. Tyre Nichols death: What 5 officers were doing that night, according to records WREG NewsChannel 3
  5. Yes, Black officers killed Tyre Nichols. What is the correct response to that? The Guardian
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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$5M lawsuit claims man was beaten by Memphis police unit 3 days before Tyre Nichols – WREG NewsChannel 3

  1. $5M lawsuit claims man was beaten by Memphis police unit 3 days before Tyre Nichols WREG NewsChannel 3
  2. 5 Memphis police officers charged in deadly beating of Tyre Nichols allegedly assaulted another man just three days before, federal lawsuit says CNN
  3. Lawsuit: 3 days before beating Tyre Nichols, officers beat a 22-year-old Commercial Appeal
  4. Memphis man beaten by same MPD unit connected to Tyre Nichols’ death, lawsuit states FOX13 Memphis
  5. Yes, Black officers killed Tyre Nichols. What is the correct response to that? The Guardian
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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After Tyre Nichols funeral, Biden faces pressure on policing – The Associated Press – en Español

  1. After Tyre Nichols funeral, Biden faces pressure on policing The Associated Press – en Español
  2. LIVE: Biden hosts Congressional Black Caucus, Omar voted off House committee, more on “Red & Blue” CBS News
  3. Congressional Black Caucus meeting with President Biden to discuss police reform CBS News
  4. ‘Nonnegotiable’: Advocates push for federal police reform after death of Tyre Nichols Yahoo News
  5. Post Politics Now: Biden meets with Black lawmakers amid renewed calls for police reform after death of Tyre Nichols The Washington Post
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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VP Kamala Harris, Rev. Al Sharpton and family honor Tyre Nichols at his funeral – FOX13 News Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tyre Nichols, who died on January 10, 2023, three days after five former Memphis Police officers were caught on camera beating the 29-year-old at the intersection of Ross Road and Raines Road, was honored by family and dignitaries at his funeral service February 1.

Nichols’ funeral was held at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith, the five former Memphis Police officers which MPD said were seen beating Nichols in that video, were all charged with two counts of official misconduct, one count of official oppression, one count of second-degree murder, one count of aggravated assault and two counts of aggravated kidnapping.

TYRE NICHOLS’ MOTHER, FAMILY AND MOURNERS SAY GOODBYE

“For this to happen to him is just unimaginable,” said RowVaughn Wells, Nichols’ mother.

Nichols was laid to rest, Wednesday, at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis.

“I promise you the only thing that’s keeping me going is I believe my son was sent here on an assignment from God,” said Wells.

Nichols’ mother, brother and siblings spoke at the funeral.

“We’re looking forward to getting justice for all the families over there, not just ours,” said Rodney Wells, Nichols’ father.

The Reverend Al Sharpton eulogized Nichols.

“Let’s get rid of qualified immunity and see if you learn the same manners you have on the white side of town,” Rev. Sharpton said. “‘Well reverend, you don’t understand.  How are they going to keep crime down in the Black community and at the same time not be tough and rough?’,” Rev. Sharpton continued. “Well, they do it the same way they do it on the white side of the town and they keep the crime down without rough and touch. How do you have the same department and keep crime down on one side of town without beating folk to death, but you can’t do it on the other side of town?  I can’t speak for everybody gathering, but for me, I believe if that man had been white you wouldn’t have beat him like that, that night … In the city that Doctor King lost his life, not far away from that balcony you beat a brother to death. There’s nothing more insulting and offensive to those of us who fought to open doors and you walk through those doors and act like the folks we had to fight for to get you through those doors,” said Reverend Sharpton.

LIVE UPDATES FROM FUNERAL

UPDATE:

View the service below:

UPDATE:

Tyre Nichols’ funeral concluded around 3:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Following the service, Ben Crump and the Rev. Al Sharpton held a press conference to answer questions about Nichols’ death investigation.

UPDATE:

Tyre Nichols’ stepfather said that when he and his wife found out about Nichols’ death, “it was surrounded by lies and deceit.” Watch below what they had to say at their son’s funeral:

UPDATE:

Tyre Nichols’ brothers and sisters share memories, stories and a poem in his honor:

Nichols’ brother shared the story of how Tyre got his name. He said it came from the movie “Silverado.”

One of his brothers said that as a child, Ty, as they referred to him, loved watching cartoons with a bowl of cereal.

One of his sisters said that Nichols was the baby brother, with 11 years between him and her.

UPDATE:

Ben Crump, the Tyre Nichols’ family attorney, demands justice in Nichols’ death:

UPDATE:

The Rev. Al Sharpton announced that director Spike Lee is in attendance along with Vice President Kamala Harris before introducing Tyre Nichols’ parents.

UPDATE:

Watch the Rev. Al Sharpton’s eulogy in full below:

UPDATE:

In a speech, Ben Crump, the Nichols’ family attorney, pointed out that Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor, was also in attendance and said that both Tyre Nichols and Taylor had the same birthday: June 5, 1993.

Taylor was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 13, 2020, during a botched raid of her apartment.

UPDATE:

“This is a family that lost their son and their brother through an act of violence at the hands and the feet of the people who had charged in keeping them safe,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in her speech.

UPDATE:

Vice President Kamala Harris was brought up to the podium to speak at Tyre Nichols’ funeral. In a seemingly impromptu speech that lasted about 5 minutes, she said that if it wasn’t for the “violent act” by the Memphis Police officers, “Tyre Nichols would be with us today.”

Watch Harris’ speech below:

UPDATE:

Mississippi Blvd Celebration Choir continues celebrating life of Tyre Nichols:

UPDATE:

Dr. Rev. Keith Norman addressed those in attendance in a nearly three-minute-long speech.

“Look, God’s home is now among his people. He shall live with them and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes and there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more crying and no more pain. These things are gone forever and the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new and then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true,” Norman said while reading new testament scripture during the service.

UPDATE:

“Our faith gives us the confidence that as we stand if God is for us, who can be against us? So today, as we celebrate Tyre’s life and comfort this family, we serve notice to this nation that the rerun of this episode that makes black lives hashtags has been canceled and will not be renewed for another season. We have come and we shall overcome in the struggle for justice for our brother Tyre Nichols,” said Dr. J. Lawrence Turner, in part, during an introduction that lasted nearly five minutes.

UPDATE:

Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church Celebration Choir welcomed those who came to celebrate the life of Tyre Nichols.

UPDATE:

The funeral is scheduled to start with a procession by Rev. Al Sharpton, Clergy and Nichols’ family. The Celebration Choir will then play a musical selection followed by Old Testament scriptures read. Rev. Dr. Rosalyn Nichols of Freedom’s chapel Christian Church will then hold a prayer of comfort. The Celebration Choir will play another musical selection followed by a reading of Nichols’ obituary and a photo montage. Rev. Dr. J. Lawerence Turner will then conduct the introduction of the eulogist, followed by another musical celebration by the Celebration Choir. Rev.

Al Sharpton will then give Nichols’ eulogy and civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Nichols’ family, will hold a Call to Justice. Nichols’ family will then hold reflections and Rev. Rodney Woodley, Rev. Dr. Earle Fisher, Bishop Marvin Thomas and Bishop Brandon Porter will all provide words of comfort. Special guests and elected officials in attendance, including Vice President Kamala Harris, will be acknowledged and then the benediction will be held by Rev. Deves Toon, the National Field Director of the National Action Network.

FIRST ENTRY

FOX13 cameras were rolling as Nichols’ casket was rolled into the church just after 10 a.m.


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Tyre Nichols updates: Mourners honour ‘beautiful person’ at Memphis funeral as family urges Congress to act

‘We mourn with you’: Kamala Harris gives passionate speech at Tyre Nichols’ funeral

A funeral for Tyre Nichols is underway in Memphis, more than three weeks after the 29-year-old Black man was fatally beaten by a group of police officers on 7 January. He died in hospital three days later.

Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the congregation at at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, where Rev Al Sharpton also delivered the eulogy and prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump issued a “call to action” in the wake of Nichols’s death and the police killings of Black Americans.

Rev Sharpton condemned the actions of the Black officers who are charged with Nichols’s murder, arguing that the sacrifies of civil rights leaders like Dr Martin Luther King Jr paved the way for their public service.

“People had to march and go to jail and some people lost their lives to open the doors for you. How dare you act like that sacrifice was for nothing?” he said.

City officials released the prior disciplinary records for the five officers who are now charged with murder, revealing that four of them had prior complaints against them.

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Full story: Kamala Harris speaks at Tyre Nichols funeral in Memphis calling on Congress to pass police reform legislation

Vice President Kamala Harris urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, bipartisan police reform legislation that passed the House of Representatives in 2021 but stalled in a deadlocked Senate with Republican opposition.

The bill, named in honour of the Black man who was murdered by Minneapolis police officers in 2020, was co-authored by then-Senator Harris.

“Let the memory of Tyre shine a light on the path toward peace and justice,” Ms Harris said in her brief remarks.

Alex Woodward2 February 2023 09:00

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‘We mourn with you’: Kamala Harris gives passionate speech at Tyre Nichols’s funeral

Vice President Kamala Harris was invited to attend the funeral of Tyre Nichols by his mother and stepfather, and the Rev Al Sharpton invited her to address the congregation gathered in Memphis on Wednesday.

She told his parents that “the people of our country mourn with you” and praised them for their “strength, courage, and grace”.

‘We mourn with you’: Kamala Harris gives passionate speech at Tyre Nichols’ funeral

Alex Woodward2 February 2023 08:00

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‘Blood on their hands’: Tyre Nichols’ mother warns lawmakers against blocking George Floyd bill

Wednesday’s funeral for Tyre Nichols in Memphis saw a re-energised call for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, federal legislation that was passed by the House of Representatives in 2021 but has otherwise stalled in Congress.

Tyre Nichol’s mother says ‘blood on the hands’ of those who don’t pass George Floyd bill

Alex Woodward2 February 2023 07:00

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‘The police are not always telling the whole truth’

“Police are partisan actors just like everyone else in power,” writes The Independent’s Josh Marcus, reflecting on his coverage of policing and criminal justice. “It’s vital to take their claims with a grain of salt.”

Alex Woodward2 February 2023 05:00

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‘Elite’ police units in spotlight after brutal killing by Scorpion officers

Memphis Police Department’s now-disbanded SCORPION unit – which stands for “Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods” – was introduced in October 2021. It was dissolved in the aftermath of Tyre Nichols’s death.

The Independent’s Graeme Massie examines several similar controversial units in departments across the US that have been accused of abuse and excessive force.

Alex Woodward2 February 2023 03:00

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Marjorie Taylor Greene compares Tyre Nichols’ beating to shooting of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt

Far-right congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene invoked the fatal shooting of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt after the mention of Tyre Nichols, who was fatally beaten by police.

She then suggested that people who have been jailed for their roles in the insurrection are facing “civil rights abuse” in jail.

Ms Greene went on to say that Congress was doing nothing to address the treatment of other participants in the attack, many of whom remain incarcerated ahead of their respective trials.

There’s a simple reason for that: Ms Babbitt was part of a crowd that was actively trying to breach a door that had been barricaded in a restricted area. She was shot by an officer while attempting to climb through a window that her fellow rioters had broken. Federal prosecutors have closed the case and the officer was cleared of wrondoing.

Alex Woodward2 February 2023 02:00

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Initial Memphis police report falsely claims Tyre Nichols ‘fought’ officers

A leaked incident report on Tyre Nichols’ arrest and fatal beating by Memphis police officers contains glaring inaccuracies that were later exposed after the release of bodycam and surveillance footage.

The report, written two hours after Nichols’ beating on 7 January, claimed that the 29-year-old was “irate” and refused lawful detention, tried to start a fight with officers, and also attempted to take an officer’s gun, during an initial traffic stop.

Alex Woodward2 February 2023 01:00

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ICYMI: Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints, records reveal

Four of the five former Memphis Police Department officers charged for the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols were suspended or reprimanded in prior incidents while working for the department, according to recently unveiled personnel files.

The officers faced little if any consequences, according to the city’s records of their cases, and they were praised in at least two instances, with other officers describing their actions as one-time events.

Alex Woodward2 February 2023 00:00

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Watch: Daughter of Rodney King reacts to video of Tyre Nichols

‘They run because they fear for their lives’: Daughter of Rodney King reacts to video of Tyre Nichols

Alex Woodward1 February 2023 23:45

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‘I’m Just Trying to Go Home’

LaToya Yizar, who says her mother was Tyre Nichols’ godmother, read a poem at his funeral invoking the words he told officers the night he was beaten.

From the lectern at Mississippi Boulevard Baptist Church in Memphis, she read “I’m Just Trying to Go Home”.

In his eulogy, the Rev Al Sharpton said that “home is not just a place.”

“Home is where you are at peace. Home is where you don’t have to keep your dukes up. Home is where you’re not vulnerable,” he said. “Home is where everything is all right.”

Alex Woodward1 February 2023 22:41

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Tyre Nichols’ death: First police report in Tyre Nichols case does not match video of deadly beating

Editor’s Note: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence.



CNN
 — 

An initial police report filed in the hours after the Tyre Nichols traffic stop suggested he was violent and made claims that were contradicted by video later released by police.

Nichols was subdued on the ground yet continuously beaten after the stop by Memphis police on January 7. He died three days later.

The initial police report said Nichols “started to fight” with officers and at one point grabbed the gun of one of the detectives. But neither claim was substantiated by police videos released last week.

And despite the fact that the videos don’t appear to show Nichols fighting back, the report identified Nichols as a suspect in an aggravated assault.

The police report did not mention the officers punching and kicking Nichols.

One of the officers at the scene – who has since been charged with second-degree murder – was described in the report as a “victim.”

The report also claimed Nichols, who was Black, was pulled over for reckless driving at a high speed – another claim that is not substantiated by video of the encounter.

While authorities have not released the police report, a photo of a police report was posted by a controversial Memphis radio talk show host. The police report account was first reported by The New York Times.

Shelby County District Attorney spokesperson Erica Williams told CNN “the DA does have a report that has that same account of events.”

The report said Nichols was irate and sweating profusely when he got out of his vehicle and refused lawful detention by law enforcement. The use of pepper spray and a Taser stun gun had no effect on Nichols, the report stated.

The report also listed E. Martin as a “victim.” One of the five officers charged with second-degree murder in Nichols’ death is Emmitt Martin III.

It’s not clear who wrote the police report, which references both the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

CNN’s calls to Memphis police have not been returned.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office refused to comment on the statements in the police report or the sheriff department’s role in it.

“The release of reports in connection with the investigation is unauthorized and the Sheriff’s Office cannot comment,” spokesperson John Morris told CNN.

While the report doesn’t reflect what is shown on the police body cam footage and Skycop street camera footage of the encounter. it does seem to reflect what the officers were discussing after Nichols was subdued and handcuffed by police the night of the incident.

CNN has previously reported that the initial public statement from police was also contradicted by the videos.

For the first time since Nichols was fatally beaten, his brother Jamal Dupree is speaking publicly about the horror and anguish his family lives with every day.

“It’s like a never-ending nightmare,” Dupree told “CNN This Morning” on Tuesday.

Dupree has not watched the video of his 29-year-old brother getting beaten with a baton and kicked in the head. He said he doesn’t need to see it.

“As soon as I seen them photos from him in the hospital, I already knew that they treated my brother like an animal,” Dupree said. “They beat on him like he was nothing. I don’t have to watch the video to know that.”

After public outrage over the gruesome video, officials have announced more firings or disciplinary action against public servants at the scene.

In addition to the firings of five Black Memphis police officers – all of whom face murder charges – officials have announced the firings of three Memphis Fire Department personnel.

Two sheriff’s deputies have been put on leave. And the police department acknowledged Monday that two more police officers had been put on leave.

“We are looking at everybody who had any kind of involvement in this incident,” from the officers and paramedics on scene to those who filed the paperwork, Shelby County District Attorney Steven Mulroy said Monday.

Prosecutors moved “extraordinarily quick” with charges against the five officers “primarily responsible for the death of Tyre Nichols,” the prosecutor said. “As to everybody else, it’s going to take some time as we do that investigation. But I assure you the investigation’s ongoing.”

The release of gruesome footage of the attack on Nichols again horrified a nation that’s faced a steady stream of videos of police violence, especially against people of color.

The deadly encounter started with police pulling Nichols over for what they initially said was suspected reckless driving and unfolds at two locations.

Video released Friday shows Nichols running away after officers yanked him out of a car and used pepper spray and a Taser to try to make him lie prone; and then officers catching up to him at a second location, where he is repeatedly kicked and beaten.

After his hands are restrained and he’s left slumped to the ground, roughly 23 minutes pass before a gurney arrives at the scene. Nichols died at a hospital of his injuries three days later, authorities said.

Dupree said he felt it was his duty to protect his little brother. Now, he says he’s racked with guilt because he couldn’t save him.

“My brother was trying to cooperate with them,” Dupree said.

“If I was there, they would have had to kill me, too. Because I would have fought all of them.”

He said he wants everyone to remember how much joy Nichols brought to the world.

“My brother’s legacy is everywhere right now. Everybody knows that my brother was an innocent person. … He cared about people. He put people before he put himself. He was very selfless. He was just, all-around, a great person to be around,” Dupree said.

“It should never happen to anybody, but at the same time, when you see a person like that, and you know a person like that, it just takes a toll. … The world is going to miss a person like that.”

Five Memphis police officers were fired January 20 and then indicted last week. They face seven counts, including: second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated kidnapping in possession of a deadly weapon, official misconduct and official oppression.

The five officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr. – are expected to be arraigned February 17.

Martin’s attorney, William Massey, said “no one out there that night intended for Tyre Nichols to die.”

Mills’ attorney, Blake Ballin, said Mills arrived later than other officers and his vision was impaired by the pepper spray used during the traffic stop.

“Some of the questions that remain will require a focus on Desmond Mills’ individual actions,” and “on whether Desmond’s actions crossed the lines that were crossed by other officers during this incident,” Ballin said.

Attorneys for the other former officers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

On Monday, police said a sixth and a seventh officer were placed on leave with the other five on January 8 – and those two officers still are the subjects of an internal investigation.

Police identified one of the two officers as Preston Hemphill, who is White. Police spokesperson Kimberly Elder declined to say whether Hemphill is being paid.

The city has released body-camera and pole-camera surveillance footage of the initial traffic stop, as well as the beating at the second site. One of the body-cam videos reveals Hemphill – at the site of the initial traffic stop – fired a Taser at Nichols and eventually said after Nichols ran: “One of them prongs hit the bastard.”

Hemphill twice says to an officer who was with him: “I hope they stomp his ass.”

That body-cam video does not show Hemphill at the second site, where the county’s district attorney has said Nichols was beaten and suffered his serious injuries.

Hemphill’s attorney, Lee Gerald, said his client – who hasn’t been charged – “was never present at the second scene.”

The seventh officer has not been publicly identified.

“Officer Preston Hemphill and other officer’s actions and inactions have been and continue to be the subject of this investigation,” Memphis police said Monday.

“There are numerous charges still developing that are impending.”

The Memphis Fire Department announced three employees were fired over their response to the incident.

Emergency medical technicians Robert Long and JaMichael Sandridge and Lt. Michelle Whitaker have been terminated, the fire department said Monday.

The three were responding to a report of “a person pepper sprayed” when they arrived at the scene of the deadly beating and found Nichols on the ground, the fire department said.

The department’s investigation found that “the two EMTs responded based on the initial nature of the call and information they were told on the scene and failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment of Mr. Nichols,” the fire chief said.

Whitaker had remained in the fire truck, the department said.

Pole-camera video released Friday showed that after the EMTs arrived and before the ambulance arrived, first responders repeatedly walked away from Nichols, with Nichols intermittently falling onto his side.

Additionally, two deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office were put on leave last week pending an investigation, after video of the incident was released.

“I have concerns about two deputies who appeared on scene following the physical confrontation between police and Tyre Nichols,” Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. said Friday.

After the fire department firings were announced Monday, an attorney for Tyre Nichols’ family, Antonio Romanucci said, “everybody on that scene was complicit in this man’s death, in one way, shape, form, or another, somebody failed Tyre Nichols.”

“They either failed by using excessive force; they failed him by severely beating him; they failed him by not intervening; they failed him by not rendering aid,” the attorney said Monday.

He said Nichols’ family still is trying to absorb the breadth of this multi-agency investigation, while also dealing with the loss of their loved one.

“This is just such a gross collapse of the system that we are supposed to trust, that it really is unspeakable,” Romanucci said.

A Memphis city council member said much more work needs to be done.

“We need to make sure that we go through our police department and see where we were weak, what happened with our procedures, what happened with our oversight,” council member Jeff Warren said.

“I don’t think we’ve seen the end of it. And I think we’re going to find there’s more to this as we go into the trial,” he said. “I don’t think we’re on top of this yet.”



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Tyre Nichols latest news: Memphis police accused of ‘shielding’ white officer as 7th ousted for killing

Protesters march in Memphis after video released of Tyre Nichols being beaten by police

The Memphis Police Department has been accused of “shielding” the only known white officer involved in Tyre Nichols’ arrest, as it was revealed two more officers were placed on leave in connection with the man’s death at the hands of police.

Lawyers for the Nichols family denounced the Memphis police for allegedly giving special treatment to a white official by placing him on leave despite his involvement.

It comes as Memphis police disclosed that seven of its officers, including five Black officers who have already been charged over Nichols’ death, had been relieved of duty.

The sixth officer, identified as Preston Hemphill, who is white, was suspended with pay pending a hearing, and a seventh officer who was not immediately identified was relieved of duty without pay, police said.

Nichols’ parents – RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells – have accepted an invitation from the Congressional Black Caucus to attend Joe Biden’s State of the Union address next week.

Nichols, 29, was pulled over for a traffic stop in Memphis on 7 January. He died three days later in hospital.

Footage of the fatal encounter was released on Friday, capturing Nichols being punched, kicked and beaten with batons.

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Eric Garcia: ‘Republicans choose their words carefully on Tyre Nichols’

The Independent’s Washington chief Eric Garcia writes about a long weekend of relative silence from the GOP:



The statements from the Republicans who have spoken show that they clearly know the video is disturbing. But the rhetoric they use show that they likely hope to treat this as an isolated incident and likely won’t spring into action on it.

Alex Woodward31 January 2023 15:30

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‘Police are not always telling the whole truth’

The Independent’s Josh Marcus writes:



As the nation turns its attention to the death of Tyre Nichols, there’s something you need to know. In cases like these, police don’t always tell the full truth. Sometimes they seek to distract from it. Other times they flat-out lie.

This is well known to victims of police violence, civil rights organisers, and those, like me, who spend their days covering policing. But it’s an important thing to remember after the Friday release of law enforcement video of Nichols’s 7 January arrest, perhaps the most explosive instance of police misconduct since George Floyd.

Read what he has learned about law enforcement distortions while covering the cops:

Alex Woodward31 January 2023 15:00

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How to support the family of Tyre Nichols

A fundraiser created by the mother of Tyre Nichols has raised more than $1m for the family in the wake of his death.

“My husband and I have had our entire world turned upside down by what happened to our son,” RowVaughn Wells wrote in the description of a GoFundMe page raising funds for the family.

“We are two hardworking, loving parents, [and] now have to turn our full-time attention to seeking proper justice for our son,” she added. “We have yet to have the proper space to begin our grieving process, which will be long and burdensome.”

The fundraiser will help cover the costs of mental health services and time off work, where they do not have unlimited paid time off, she said.

The funds will also support the creation of a memorial skate park for Nichols, “in honor of his love for skating and sunset,” according to Ms Wells.

Alex Woodward31 January 2023 14:30

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Four videos, 56 minutes, seven Memphis police officers, one deadly arrest: What the Tyre Nichols footage shows

The release of footage of the fatal assault of Tyre Nichols graphically depicted the prolonged and savage fatal beating that was meted out by five Memphis Police Department officers.

But questions persist that the edited footage failed to answer, most notably the claimed traffic violation that had led officers to pull Nichols over in the first place, and what caused the officers to respond so violently.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has more in the story below:

Graig Graziosi31 January 2023 14:00

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Republican Congressman Jim Jordan says ‘no law’ could stop the ‘evil’ in Tyre Nichols police bodycam footage

Conservative Congressman Jim Jordan told NBC News’ Meet the Press that he was unsure if any law could stop the “evil” on display in the police bodycam footage showing Tyre Nichols being beaten by officers.

“I don’t know that there’s any law that can stop that evil that we saw,” he said on the program.

He then accused Democrats of trying to use legislation to solve issues like systemic police abuse.

“The Democrats always think that it’s a new law that’s going to fix something that terrible,” he said.

Graig Graziosi31 January 2023 13:00

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Congressional Black Caucus pushes Biden to restart police reform talks

Representative Steven Horsford, the Nevada congressman who serves as chair of the CBC, said in a statement on Sunday that the caucus is asking for a sit-down with Mr Biden “to push for negotiations on much needed national reforms to our justice system – specifically, the actions and conduct of our law enforcement”.

Mr Horsford said Mr Nichols’ death, which was captured on disturbing video showing him being beaten and kicked by a group of officers who are now facing murder charges, is “a grim reminder that we still have a long way to go in solving systemic police violence in America”.

The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg has more in his story:

Graig Graziosi31 January 2023 12:00

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Sixth officer suspended in Tyre Nichols confirmed to have fired stun gun during encounter

Preston Hemphill, the sixth Memphis police officer to face disciplinary action in the beating of Tyre Nichols, reportedly fired a stun gun at Mr Nichols the night of the encounter that preceded his death.

The Memphis Police Department announced that Mr Hemphill had been placed on administrative leave in connection with the encounter.

He was the officer who fired a stun gun at Mr Nichols when he tried to escape from the police who had pulled him over, according to ABC 7.

Graig Graziosi31 January 2023 11:00

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Newly-suspended Memphis police officer Preston Hemphill tased Tyre Nichols during traffic stop

Memphis police officer Preston Hemphill was reportedly the third officer on the scene of Tyre Nichols’ beating.

Mr Hemphill’s attorney, Lee Gerald, confirmed to ABC 7 that his client was the third officer at Nichols’ initial traffic stop.

“As per departmental regulations Officer Hemphill activated his bodycam,” Mr Gerald said in a statement. “He was never present at the second scene. He is cooperating with officials in this investigation.”

The officer’s bodycam footage was included with the footage released on Friday.

Graig Graziosi31 January 2023 09:00

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ICYMI: Sixth Memphis officer suspended

A sixth Memphis police officer has reportedly been suspended from the department in the wake of the death of Tyre Nichols.

A department spokesperson speaking to Fox13 Memphis said officer Preston Hemphill has been relieved of duty.

The spokesperson did not provide details on how Mr Hemphill’s release is related to Mr Nichols.

Graig Graziosi31 January 2023 08:00

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Skatepark vigil planned for Tyre Nichols in Sacramento

A skatepark in Sacramento that Tyre Nichols visited regularly said it planned to hold a vigil for him at 6:30pm PST.

Mr Nichols was a regular at the park before he moved to Memphis in 2020.

Niko Chapman, who grew up in the area, remembered Mr Nichols fondly. He recalled to Fox 2 how, when he was younger, his parents would only let him visit the skatepark if they knew Mr Nichols was there to help look out for him.

“You remember people that are really kind to you, and Tyre was just a really kind person,” Mr Chapman said. “He just always made me feel really welcome.”

Graig Graziosi31 January 2023 07:00

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