The federal trial for former Memphis police officers who were involved in the arrest and beating of Tyre Nichols begins Monday with jury selection.
It was originally set to start in May but was pushed back at the request of defense attorneys to give them more time to prepare.
Three former officers, Taddarrius Bean, Demitrius Haley, and Justin Smith, are defending themselves against four charges including civil rights and conspiracy offenses. Their indictment – issued in September of last year – alleges that they used unreasonable force in an assault against Nichols that resulted in his injury and death.
The city of Memphis released video and body camera footage from the night of Jan. 7, 2023 weeks after the incident that shows a total of five officers who either violently restrain, punch, kick or strike Nichols with a baton as they take him into custody following an alleged traffic stop that Nichols fled on foot.
He died in the hospital three days later. A state autopsy classified his death as a homicide and found blunt force trauma to the head as the cause. His family said he appeared unrecognizable in the hospital where he never regained consciousness.
The trial will likely emphasize the different actions each officer took. Two have already pleaded guilty in deal with prosecutors who dropped some charges in exchange.
Although federal district court Judge Mark Norris, who is overseeing the trial, will ultimately sentence them, prosecutors have recommended a 15-year sentence for Desmond Mills Jr. and a 40-year sentence for Emmitt Martin III. It’s possible they will be called to testify against their former colleagues who maintain their innocence.
During the trial, prosecutors will also try to prove the defendants misled or lied to superiors about their conduct. They further say they ignored Nichols’ serious medical needs even though they were aware of the injuries.
Court proceedings are expected to last a number of weeks. The former officers also face separate charges in state court including second degree murder.
In the aftermath of Nichols’ death, the fallout for Memphis was sizable. The special crime fighting unit that the officers were a part of was disbanded.
The Department of Justice also opened a so-called patterns or practices investigation into the Memphis Police Department to look at whether it systemically engages in discriminatory policing.
Nichols’ family have also filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the city.
