The five men are charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault and kidnapping, among other things, according to an official prison record in southern Tennessee. Second-degree murder in Tennessee is an intermediate stage between murder and manslaughter. “The actions of all of you resulted in the death of Tire Nichols,” prosecutor Steve Mulroy said Thursday. The case should lead to a discussion about policing reform in the US, Mulroy said at a press conference.
“The world is looking at us, and we need to show the world that we learn from tragedies like this.” The video showing the crime is set to be released Friday, Mulroy said. The authorities fear that this could lead to violent protests. The five police officers had each been in police service for a number of years and were released from service on Wednesday. They said they used excessive force, did not intervene and did not provide assistance.
Control for “reckless driving”
Nichols was pulled over for “reckless driving” on January 7, police said. According to a police statement, a “confrontation” ensued and Nichols fled on foot. When the police caught him after a chase, another “confrontation” is said to have taken place.
An ambulance was called because Nichols then complained of breathing difficulties. The 29-year-old was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and died there three days later. His family has released a photo showing Nichols in hospital with severe swelling of his face and on a breathing apparatus. An autopsy commissioned by the family concluded that Nichols suffered massive bleeding from “a severe beating.”
US police officers arrested after deadly traffic stop
The death of a black man after a traffic stop in the US state of Tennessee has legal consequences for five black police officers who are suspected of the crime. The men were charged with second-degree murder and other crimes on Thursday.
“He was defenseless”
According to reports, a video of around an hour should show the entire incident. The family was able to watch the video of the police operation at the beginning of the week. “He was defenseless. All the time, ”said the family lawyer afterwards. The recordings should show that the police beat the victim for several minutes.
Tennessee Criminal Investigation Director David Rausch said of the video footage it was “absolutely appalling” and of the officers’ behavior: “It was wrong. That was criminal.” Something like that shouldn’t happen, he was sad and shocked by what he saw.
Again and again horror at police violence
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis also expressed her dismay at the 29-year-old’s death in an online video Wednesday night. The actions of the police officers were “disgusting” and “inhuman”. “This is not just a professional failure. This is a failure of basic humanity.”
In the United States, deadly police violence against black people causes horror and outrage, as is the case in the Nichols case. White police officers are often the perpetrators, as in the case of George Floyd, who was killed in an arrest in Minneapolis in May 2020. The Nichols case also brings back memories of the 1991 Rodney King case, who was also brutally beaten after a police chase.
Floyd’s death has already sparked a debate about police reform in the United States, following violent protests against racism and racially motivated police violence. During a check, a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for minutes while Floyd begged him to breathe. The man was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison, his colleagues did not intervene – they were also sentenced.
