Former Memphis police officer Demetrius Haley, along with two other officers, Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith, are currently on trial for charges related to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. Nichols was punched, kicked, and hit with a police baton following a traffic stop, resulting in his death. The incident was caught on police bodycams and street surveillance cameras, leading to public outcry and calls for police reform. The officers were fired by the Memphis Police Department and later indicted on federal charges. Two other officers involved in the beating have taken plea deals.
During the trial, Brittany Leake, a Memphis officer and Haley’s ex-girlfriend, testified that Haley sent her a photo of Nichols on the night of the incident. The photo showed Nichols on the ground with apparent injuries, prompting Leake’s reaction that he needed to go to the hospital. Haley had previously sent Leake photos of drugs and an injured person in a car accident, which she admitted were difficult to look at. The prosecution also displayed the photo for the jury as evidence.
Former officer Emmitt Martin, who was also involved in the incident, testified that he lied to internal investigators about what happened to attempt to cover up the truth. He later told FBI investigators the truth after pleading guilty in August. Martin described the situation escalating quickly, with Haley pulling his gun and violently yanking Nichols from his car. Nichols, who was pepper-sprayed and hit with a stun gun, ran away from officers before being beaten by the five officers about a block from his home. Nichols died three days later from his injuries.
Paramedic Jesse Guy testified about responding to the scene that night, finding Nichols unresponsive with no pulse. He performed CPR in the ambulance, and Nichols had a pulse by the time they arrived at the hospital. Guy noted that the emergency medical technicians who arrived before him did not provide crucial information about Nichols’ condition and did not give him oxygen. The technicians were later fired for violating fire department policies. The incident has led to second-degree murder charges in state court against the officers, with Martin and Mills expected to change their pleas.
Tyre Nichols was a FedEx employee who enjoyed skateboarding and photography. The city of Sacramento, where Nichols grew up, named a skatepark in his honor as a tribute to his passion for skateboarding. Nichols’ family has been seeking justice and accountability since his death, as civil rights attorneys representing the family have expressed in a statement. The trial is ongoing, with prosecutors recommending a 40-year sentence for Martin. The case has brought attention to issues of excessive force and police accountability, sparking discussions about the need for reform within the Memphis Police Department.
