Five former Memphis police officers have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tire Nichols.a black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with officers during a traffic stop, records showed Thursday.
Online records from the Shelby County Police Department show that Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr., Emmitt Martin III, and Justin Smith they are detained. All five are charged with second degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
The defendants, all African-American, were fired from the police force last week after authorities determined they were directly responsible for the 29-year-old’s death.
Defense attorney William Massey confirmed to Associated Press that his client, Emmitt Martin III, had been charged and turned himself in to the authorities.
It is not immediately clear if Smith has an attorney to speak on his behalf regarding the charges. Blake Ballin, Mills’ attorney, said he plans to hold a news conference later Thursday.
Second degree murder is a class A felony punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison under Tennessee law.
Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells, told the PA that he and his wife RowVaughn Wells, who is Nichols’ mother, discussed the second-degree murder charges and are “fine with it.” They had lobbied for first-degree murder charges.
“There are other charges, so I’m fine with that,” he said. He said he was “accepted” that the authorities have acted quickly in the case.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said he will provide an update on the investigation by state authorities Thursday afternoon.
Video footage of the arrest has not been released publicly, but authorities have promised to release it this week or next.
The Memphis police chief has asked citizens to demonstrate peacefully, in anticipation of the public response to the video.
According to the lawyer representing the victim’s family, the images show the five agents attacking the young man with electric shocks and pepper spray. The beating lasted about three minutes.
With information from AP and EFE
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Source-www.infobae.com