The former cops are being held in jail and face a variety of criminal offenses. The arrest video has not been made public, but police have vowed to release it this week or next.
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| Tyre Nichols |
Five former Memphis police officers were charged Thursday with second-degree murder and other charges in the arrest and death of Tire Nichols, a black driver who died three days after a traffic encounter with authorities.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr., Emmitt Martin III, and Justin Smith are all in the custody of the Shelby County Sheriff's Department, according to online records. Second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, governmental misconduct, and official oppression are all charges leveled against all five.
The accused, all of whom are African-American, were sacked from the force last week after investigators found they were directly responsible for the death of the 29-year-old.
Emmitt Martin III's defense attorney, William Massey, verified to The Associated Press that his client had been charged and turned himself in.
It is unclear whether Smith has retained a counsel to represent him in connection with the accusations. Mills' attorney, Blake Ballin, said he hopes to conduct a press conference later Thursday.
Second degree murder is a class A felony in Tennessee, punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison.
Rodney Wells, Nichols' stepfather, told the Associated Press via phone that he and his wife RowVaughn Wells, Nichols' mother, addressed the second-degree murder charges and are "cool with it." They had filed first-degree murder accusations.
"There are other charges, so that's great," he replied. He expressed "acceptance" that the authorities moved fast in the matter.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said he will provide an update on the investigation by state authorities Thursday afternoon.
The arrest video has not been made public, but police have vowed to release it this week or next.
In anticipation of the public reaction to the video, Memphis police chief has advised residents to demonstrate peacefully.
The photographs show the five agents hitting the young man with electric shocks and pepper spray, according to the lawyer representing the victim's family. The pounding lasted almost three minutes.