Tyre Nichols, 29, died three days after he was beaten by police after fleeing a traffic stop in January 2023 in Memphis.
A federal jury has found three former Memphis police officers charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols guilty of civil rights violations.
The jurors began deliberating earlier Thursday before reaching their verdict Thursday afternoon.
Nichols was beaten after running away during a traffic stop in January 2023 in Memphis and died three days later. Prosecutors argued that the officers wanted to punish him for fleeing, while defense attorneys said they were following department policy.
Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith and Tadarrius Bean were charged with violating Nichols’ civil rights through excessive use of force, unlawful assault, failing to intervene in the assault and failing to render medical aid. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The officers pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., the two other officers also charged in this case, have pleaded guilty to some of the federal charges and testified during the weekslong trial.
Federal prosecutor Kathryn Gilbert said during her closing arguments that the officers laughed and bragged about beating Nichols and did not call medics to the scene because they wanted to get away with what they did and protect themselves.
«They wanted it to be a beatdown», Gilbert told the jury of the three former officers.
«You are what stands between them and getting away with it», she added.
John Perry, Bean’s attorney, argued during his closing remarks that the force his client used during the interaction with Nichols was «not excessive.»
Both Perry and Haley’s attorney, Stephen Leffler, argued during closing arguments that their clients did not violate the policies of the Memphis Police Department.
