Greater than a dozen Memphis fireplace and police division workers have been charged in reference to the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols, a metropolis official mentioned Tuesday on the conclusion of its investigation into Nichols’ January dying.
Memphis Chief Authorized Officer Jennifer Sink mentioned each businesses have been conducting administrative investigations to find out if any workers violated division insurance policies.
4 Memphis Hearth Division personnel had been charged, Sink mentioned at a presentation earlier than the Memphis Metropolis Council’s Public Security Committee.
Three of the staff had been fired, Sink mentioned, and one was suspended. It is not clear what their actual prices are. Sink mentioned extra data might be launched Wednesday, together with 20 hours of video and audio from the Jan. 7 beating.
The three fired workers had been beforehand recognized as EMTs Robert Lengthy, JaMichael Sandridge and Lt. Michelle Whitaker. The hearth division mentioned in an announcement that they had been discovered to have violated a number of division insurance policies and protocols of their response to Nichols.
The fourth worker has not been recognized.
The town’s investigation additionally resulted in 13 workers with the police division being charged, though two in the end had their prices dismissed, Sink mentioned.
Seven of them had been terminated, three acquired suspensions, and one retired earlier than a listening to may very well be performed, in keeping with Sink.
One committee member questioned whether or not any officer who struck Nichols was nonetheless employed by the division. Sink mentioned that one of many suspended officers “did place palms” on Nichols’ legs.
“However that was not a strike or an assault,” she mentioned. “He acquired a suspension because of his involvement.”
5 law enforcement officials had been beforehand fired and criminally charged for his or her involvement in Nichols’ dying. They’re Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith. They had been all charged with second-degree homicide, two counts of official misconduct, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, one rely of official oppression and one rely of aggravated assault.
Preston Hemphill and one other unnamed officer had been “relieved of responsibility.”
Police initially mentioned they pulled over Nichols, 29, for reckless driving however Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis mentioned her workplace has discovered no proof to substantiate the declare. In a video launched in January, law enforcement officials appeared to pepper spray him, punch him, strike him with a baton and kick him within the face whereas he was detained.
He was finally taken to the hospital the place he died three days later.
Attorneys for Nichols’ household mentioned the beating was paying homage to the 1991 beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles law enforcement officials. Ravaughn Wells, Nichols’ mom, mentioned her son was merely making an attempt to get house when police stopped him.
“He was two minutes from the home after they stopped him,” she mentioned throughout a January information convention. “He was lower than 80 yards away after they murdered him. Sure, I mentioned homicide … as a result of after I walked into that hospital room, my son was already lifeless.”
