After more than eight hours of deliberation, on Wednesday (May 7), the panel found Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith not guilty of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
The decision came at the end of a seven-day trial, marking the second courtroom battle for the trio in connection to Nichols’ death.
“Today’s verdict in the trial of the officers involved in Tyre Nichols’ death is devastating. But we must never let the brutality that ended his life overshadow the beauty of how he lived,” the family’s attorney, Ben Crump, said.
Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, died three days after he was violently beaten by officers from the Memphis Police Department’s now-disbanded Scorpion Unit.
Body camera and surveillance footage showed officers punching, kicking and striking Nichols with a baton as he cried out for his mother. The video triggered widespread protests and calls for sweeping police reform.
All five officers involved were fired and charged at both the state and federal levels. Two of them, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty and testified for the prosecution during the state trial.
In a separate federal case last year, Haley, Bean and Smith were convicted of witness tampering. Haley was also found guilty of violating Nichols’ civil rights by causing bodily injury.
However, all three were acquitted of federal charges directly related to Nichols’ death. Sentencing for those convictions is still pending.
Nichols’ family left the court without speaking to the media after hearing the verdict.
“Tyre was a father, a son, a skateboarder who loved sunsets and photography. He wanted to live and experience the best out of life. His death has forever changed us — but his legacy will live on. We’ll make sure of it,” Ben Crump added.
Within minutes, social media lit up with reactions ranging from disbelief to fury, reigniting debates over police accountability and justice.
“Along with many of you, I watched the video of Tyre Nichols getting beaten to death by cops, executed in the street, calling for his mother in his final moments,” one user fumed. “Those cops were just ACQUITTED.
Our justice system is a JOKE.”
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