A Tennessee regulatory board stripped four former Memphis Police Department officers criminally charged for the death of Tyre Nichols of their law enforcement certifications on Friday.
The Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission, approved a committee’s recommendation made a day prior to decertify Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith.
Desmond Mills Jr. voluntarily relinquished his certification.
The decision means the former officers are no longer eligible to work for law enforcement agencies statewide. They have 30 days to appeal the decision, according to Kevin Walters, a spokesperson with Tennessee’s Department of Commerce and Insurance, which includes the POST Commission.
A fifth former officer, Tadarius Bean, also faces desertification, although Walters said his hearing date has not been set.
All five have pleaded not guilty to second degree murder charges for their involvement in the beating of Nichols before taking him into custody the night of January 7. The City of Memphis released body camera and surveillance footage showing them brutally kicking, punching and striking Nichols with a baton. Nichols died in the hospital three days later.
MPD requested the POST Commission take decertification action after the department terminated the officersJan. 20.
Legal representation for Haley, Martin and Smith asked the board to consider their cases at a later date, but a POST committee member at their scheduled hearings on Thursday said they were expected to appear before the body in Nashville to request this pending status. Since they were not present, the committee moved ahead and made a recommendation to decertify.
Blake Ballin, an attorney for Mills, says his client did not fight his decertification because he is focused on defending himself against criminal charges.
“Mr. Mills maintains his innocence and will continue to prioritize that which is most important to him; his family and his freedom,” Ballin said in an emailed statement.
MPD has also asked the state to decertify former Officer Preston Hempill, who was involved in Nichols’ initial traffic stop and Lt. DeWayne Smith, who the police department intended to fire for not taking appropriate supervisory actionafter he arrived at the scene. Lt. Smith retired before the city could hold a disciplinary hearing for him.
