January 27th. MEMPHIS, Tennessee.
Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was beaten to death earlier this month, and five Memphis police officers have been charged with murder in connection with the incident. On Friday, the city of Memphis released a stunning video of their brutal confrontation.
Many outraged.
The officers were charged with second-degree murder, assault, kidnapping, official misconduct, and oppression. The next day the highly anticipated film from police body-worn and dashboard cameras was posted on Friday evening. The video was available to the public on the city’s YouTube page.
“You are going to see acts that defy humanity,”
Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney representing Tyre Nichols’ family, stated that Nichols’ last words in the video were pleas for his mother. This was disheartening news for the family that has already been heartbroken.
“No mother should go through what I am going through right now, no mother, to lose their child to the violent way that I lost my child.”
Even President Biden got involved
The White House announced that Biden called with RowVaughn Wells and Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells, on Friday afternoon to offer his condolences. The White House also stated that it was working with various government agencies in case protests descended into violence.
The events surrounding Tyre Nichols’ arrest were vaguely described.
After being stopped for reckless driving, Nichols got into “an altercation” with the officers. The cops pepper sprayed him as he attempted to run away on foot.
“There was another altercation at a nearby location at which the serious injuries were experienced by Mr. Nichols.”
According to Davis, her department is still unable to determine if the officers even had a valid reason to stop Nichols for “driving recklessly” in the first place.
“We want to declare that this will be the model going forward for holding any officers accountable, regardless of their race. We won’t accept being told to wait six months to a year anymore.”
A CBS affiliate reported on Friday that four of the policemen had been granted release from custody after posting bond. The defendants’ initial court appearances might take up to another two weeks, according to Mills’ attorney Blake Ballin.
Did you watch the video of Tyre Nichols’ death? Was it racially driven? Were you surprised to learn that all 5 officers were black?
CNN image source
