Five police officers in Memphis have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in connection to the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist.
Nichols died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop.
The officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmit Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith, were all charged with second-degree murder, official misconduct, official oppression, and aggravated kidnapping.
The charges come after an autopsy determined that Nichols died from internal bleeding caused by a severe beating.
“While each of the five individuals played a different role in the incident in question, the actions of all of them resulted in the death of Tyre Nichols, and they are all responsible,” Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said during a news conference Thursday.
Mulroy said police video of the traffic stop, in which Nichols’ family and their lawyers say the 29-year-old father and FedEx worker was savagely beaten for three minutes, will be released to the public on Friday.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden released a statement on Tyre’s situation, saying, “Jill and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Tyre Nichols and the entire Memphis community. Tyre’s family deserves a swift, full, and transparent investigation into his death.”
He added: “As Americans grieve, the Department of Justice conducts its investigation, and state authorities continue their work, I join Tyre’s family in calling for peaceful protest. Outrage is understandable, but violence is never acceptable. Violence is destructive and against the law. It has no place in peaceful protests seeking justice.”
