Ex-Memphis cops charged with murdering Tyre Nichols
STORY: Five Memphis police officers who were fired last week over the death of Tyre Nichols, a Black man who died after an encounter with the officers, were in custody and indicted by a grand jury on Thursday on charges including second-degree murder.
Nichols, a 29-year-old father of a 4-year-old boy, died in a hospital on Jan. 10, three days after sustaining injuries during a traffic stop by the five police officers.
Officials on Thursday said bodycam footage of the traffic stop would be released Friday evening.
Earlier this week, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said he and the Nichols family viewed the footage.
“You know, regrettably, it reminded us of Rodney King video. Regrettably and, unlike Rodney King, Tyre didn’t survive. And so we are here to demand justice for Tyre.”
In a video posted on YouTube on Wednesday, the city's police chief asked for calm when the bodycam footage is made public.
"I expect you to feel what the Nichols family feels. I expect you to feel outrage in the disregard of basic human rights. I expect our citizens to exercise their First Amendment right to protest, to demand action and results, but we need to ensure our community is safe in this process."
The five former police officers also face two counts of official misconduct, one count of aggravated assault and two counts of aggravated kidnapping.
Officials also said that other Memphis police officers remain under investigation for policy infractions.
