Three Former Memphis Police Officers Acquitted in 2023 Tyre Nichols Case
Memphis, Tennessee – The original five former police officers—Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Desmond Mills Jr., and Emmitt Martin—were charged by the state of Tennessee with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression. Bean, Haley, and Smith were acquitted of all state charges.
Initially, all five men pleaded not guilty, but Martin and Mills later changed their pleas to guilty. They did not stand trial after accepting plea deals, though they still face federal charges along with Bean, Haley, and Smith.
All five men await sentencing on federal charges.
On the night of January 7, 2023, Nichols was pulled over for suspicion of reckless driving. During the stop, Nichols was pulled from his vehicle and severely beaten. He died in the hospital three days later, sparking national outrage.
