Three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols have been found not guilty on all counts. 

The jury delivered its verdict Wednesday, May 7, after a trial that lasted just over a week. The jury, brought in from Hamilton County in East Tennessee, deliberated for roughly 8½ hours.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith all faced the same seven charges. All three men were charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault in concert, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct and official oppression. 

There was no visible reaction from the officers as the verdict was read. 

Three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols were found not guilty on all seven of the state criminal charges they were facing. 

The out-of-town jury delivered its verdict Wednesday, May 7.

Here are some observations from the state courtroom, the federal trial in September 2024 and the case overall.

Differences in the two trials

This was the second time Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith have been on trial in the past year. They were each convicted at the federal level in September 2024 on some of the charges they were facing. 

In a brief video statement recorded after the verdict was announced in the Tyre Nichols trial Wednesday afternoon, May 7, Memphis Mayor Paul Young and Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis encouraged the city to “heal together.”

“I understand the pain we are feeling as a life was lost at the hands of officers whose actions don’t reflect the values of our Memphis Police Department. Memphis is still healing, and that healing demands that we work together,” Young said.

“As a city, we’re committed to doing the work of creating a deeper trust between law enforcement and the people of Memphis. And on behalf of the city, we’re steadfast in our dedication to creating a safer, more just Memphis for everyone,” Young added. “Today, a verdict was reached in the trial concerning the death of Tyre Nichols, and that has had a profound impact on his family, our department and city and the entire nation.”

Davis said policing in Memphis “must always be ever-evolving and continuously improving, and I am confident that our team is ready to further the work of creating ongoing change.”

An out-of-town jury acquitted three former Memphis Police Department officers on all charges in the state trial related to the 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols.

Here is some of the reaction to the Wednesday, May 15, verdict.

State Senate Democratic Leader Raumesh Akbari of Memphis said she is “heartbroken” and “angry.”

“We should not have to keep witnessing this. We should not have to keep burying our sons, our brothers, our friends,” Akbari said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “We are tired of demanding justice that comes too late — if at all. Tired of asking if our lives truly matter in a system that continues to treat them as disposable.”

In his closing remarks, attorney Stephen Leffler said the death of Tyre Nichols is a story about “choices.”

His client, Demetrius Haley, one of three former Memphis Police Department officers on trial for Nichols’ death, chose to become an officer and later join the department’s SCORPION team, which frequented high-crime areas of the city.

Despite not being a typical target suspect of the team, Nichols “chose” to run from Haley and his codefendants and resist detention, Leffler said. 

“That’s sort of the really tragic part about this entire case. If Nichols had pulled over when he got the blue lights … in all likelihood, they wouldn’t have arrested him,” Leffler told the jury.

Attorneys began offering closing arguments Monday, May 5, in the state criminal trial for the three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols. 

Assistant District Attorney Melanie Headley argued Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith are responsible for Nichols’ death because they both aided in his beating and failed to stop some of the fatal blows that he received. 

“In this case, you can see,” Headley said to the jury, referring to videos that captured Nichols’ beating. “You can see what they (the officers) did and what they didn’t do. You can also hear what they said.” 

In an emotional appeal to the jury, Headley also highlighted the relationship Nichols had with his mother, RowVaughn Wells.

Defense counsel rested its case Saturday, May 3 in the state criminal trial for the three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols.

Attorneys for Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith called their last witnesses in the latter half of a rare weekend session in court.

With the defense done, it concludes proof being put on in the high-profile murder trial for the three former officers as the state prosecutors rested their case earlier in the week. Prosecutors rested after calling just five witnesses. Defense attorneys called a total of 17.

Bean, Haley and Smith all declined to testify on their own behalf after the defense rested. 

A police-training and use-of-force expert testified Saturday, May 3, in the state criminal trial for the three former police officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols that Demetrius Haley’s actions, one of the officers on trial, were proper and in line with Memphis Police Department training. 

But Don Cameron, who also testified in the federal trial for the officers last year, agreed there are limitations to his testimony in that he was not present for Nichols’ initial traffic stop or later beating.

For example, Cameron said Nichols’ initial traffic stop became a “deadly force situation” because Emmitt Martin, an officer charged in the case but who is cooperating with prosecutors, said something to the effect of “let go of my gun.”

But under cross-examination from Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman, Cameron acknowledged he only gathered that statement from Martin’s previous testimony in the federal case and testimony from Preston Hemphill, an officer who responded to Nichols’ initial traffic stop but was not charged and was later fired from the police department. Martin cannot be heard on video of Nichols’ traffic stop telling him to let go of his gun. 

An expert in police training and use of force testified Friday, May 2 in the state criminal trial for the three former Memphis police officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols. 

He said the blows they delivered to Nichols were excessive and that they had a duty to stop their fellow officers from beating Nichols. But Jared Zwickey, who’s testimony began Friday morning and lasted until after lunch, said the officers only had a duty to intervene if they saw the blows that were delivered from one another. 

Forensic consultant, use-of-force of expert testify on Day 5

Zwickey, who testified on behalf of Justin Smith, one of the officers on trial, argued Smith had “tunnel vision” and couldn’t see the kicks and punches that were delivered by fellow officers Demetrius Haley and Emmitt Martin. Martin was also charged but has since entered a plea agreement. Haley remains on trial. 

Zwickey also said Nichols was “actively resisting” while Smith tried to handcuff him.

The state criminal trial for the three former Memphis police officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols continued for a fifth day Friday, May 2, with a forensic consultant taking the witness stand to testify about DNA testing the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation conducted after Nichols’ death. 

After explaining the DNA testing process, Samantha Spencer said TBI found Nichols’ blood on the right boot of Emmitt Martin, an officer who’s charged in the case but who’s cooperating with state and federal prosecutors under a plea agreement.

TBI also tested the boots of Demetrius Haley, one of the three officers who’s on trial, finding Nichols’ DNA — but not specifically his blood — on Haley’s right boot. According to Spencer, more of Nichols’ DNA was found on Martin’s boots than on Haley’s. 

Spencer concluded that Martin kicked Nichols somewhere in the face while Haley likely kicked him elsewhere on his body. Nichols’ autopsy ruled that he died from blunt force trauma to the head. 

Thursday afternoon’s testimony in the trial of three former Memphis Police Department officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols included just two witnesses called by the defense: a forensic pathologist from St. Louis and one of the emergency medical technicians who treated Nichols on the scene the night he was beaten.

Nichols was punched, kicked, stunned with a Taser and pepper-sprayed by Memphis Police Department officers Jan. 7, 2023, after he fled from a traffic stop. He died three days later in the hospital.

Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith and Demetrius Haley are all facing multiple charges related to Nichols’ death, including second-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping. Two other former officers, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., were also charged in Nichols’ death but have taken plea deals.

The trial started late Thursday morning and was delayed repeatedly by the trouble defense attorneys had getting the technology to function properly. It ended before 5 p.m., about an hour earlier than previous days.

After a late start Thursday morning, May 1, the trial of three former Memphis Police Department officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols following a traffic stop continued with defense attorneys again pointing to a stolen ID card found in Nichols’ car as well as calling character witnesses.

Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith and Demetrius Haley are all facing multiple charges related to Nichols’ death in January 2023, including second-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping. Two other former officers, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., were also charged in Nichols’ death but have taken plea deals.

The officers are accused of beating Nichols during a traffic stop Jan. 7, 2023. Nichols was punched, kicked, stunned with a Taser and pepper-sprayed; he died from his injuries in the hospital three days later.

The prosecution has already finished its part of the trial, leaving the defense attorneys to make their cases now.

Editors’ Note: Today’s trial updates are being presented in reverse chronological order. Three former Memphis police officers are in court for the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols.

5:43 p.m. — Martin Zummach continued to play Preston Hemphill’s body-camera footage, which showed him interacting with paramedics he called for Nichols and at one point captured him say, “I hope they stomp his ass,” referring to Nichols.

Court adjourned for the day at 5:43 p.m. Hemphill’s testimony will continue Thursday morning.

5:19 p.m. — Michael Stengel asked if Tyre Nichols was difficult to control, a common question that has been asked by defense counsel throughout the trial.

Editors’ Note: Today’s trial updates are being presented in reverse chronological order. Three former Memphis police officers are in court for the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols.

5:46 p.m. — Martin Zummach ends his questioning and passes Desmond Mills to Paul Hagerman for redirect.

“You said you shared values with Justin Smith. Did you violate those shared values that night?” Hagerman asks Mills.

“Yes,” Mills responds.

After opening statements were completed, Tyre Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, took the stand for the first time.

Under questioning by assistant prosecutor Melanie Headley, Wells described the day of Nichols’ beating and the night it happened.

She said Nichols came home around 11:30 a.m. and left a few hours later for work.

“He hugged me and said, ‘I’ll see you later,’” she said.

Michael Stengel, who represents defendant Demetrius Haley, said during opening statements that the trial is about “choices.”

Haley chose to become a cop, which he described as an “ugly and dirty” job, and Tyre Nichols chose to run away from police when they attempted to arrest him, Stengel said.

Stengel noted that the SCORPION team, which Haley and the other officers charged in Nichols’ death were a part of, used pretextual traffic stops to make arrests.

“They weren’t looking to write tickets. They were looking to suppress crime,” he said.

The criminal trial for the three former Memphis Police Department officers charged in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols officially began Monday, April 28. 

Shelby County Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman, lead prosecutor on the case, delivered the state’s opening statement at about 11 a.m. Monday.

Hagerman focused on Nichols’ injuries, describing them as akin to the kind one might sustain in a car wreck. 

“Except this 29-year-old didn’t get these in a car wreck. The proof will be he got them from being beaten to death by five Memphis police officers,” he said. 

The state criminal trial for three of the former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols begins Monday, April 28. 

Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith and Demetrius Haley are all facing multiple charges related to Nichols’ death, including second-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping. 

The three are accused of beating Nichols during a traffic stop in January 2023. Nichols was punched, kicked, Tased and pepper-sprayed; he died from his injuries in the hospital three days later.

Two other former officers were also charged but have since taken plea deals and won’t be going to trial. Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr. are both expected to testify against the other three former officers. 

Here’s who’s who in the state trial for the former Memphis Police Department officers accused in the January 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols. The trial starts Monday, April 28.

Tadarrius Bean

Bean, 25, is one of three remaining officers set to go to trial for his alleged roles in Tyre Nichols’ death. Along with the other officers, he is charged with second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault in concert, official misconduct and official oppression. Bean had worked for MPD since 2020 prior to being fired Jan. 20, 2023.

Demetrius Haley

Haley, 31, is the second of three remaining officers scheduled to go to trial. Haley also had worked for the department since 2020 before he was fired along with his other codefendants in January 2023. According to testimony given at the federal trial, Haley allegedly sent photos of Nichols after he was beaten to three different people: an ex-girlfriend, another officer and a family friend. 

Justin Smith

Smith, 29, is the third officer on trial. Smith started with MPD in 2018 and was fired Jan. 20, 2023, less than two weeks after Nichols’ beating. 

The jury in the state criminal trial for the three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols will come from Hamilton County in East Tennessee.

Jury selection for the trial began in Chattanooga on Wednesday, April 23, according to a report in the Chattanooga Times Free Press. A local law enforcement source confirmed that report to The Daily Memphian late Wednesday.

Shelby County Criminal Court Judge James Jones Jr. ruled in March the jury would be brought in from out of town and be sequestered in Memphis for the trial’s duration. Where the jury would come from had not been disclosed previously.

The trial is scheduled to start Monday, April 28, and Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman has said the proceedings are expected to last from one to three weeks.