There are 235 article(s) tagged Tyre Nichols:
“I’m hoping that for Mr. Mills it was his conscience that allowed him to make this plea agreement and not because of his lawyers telling him it was the right thing to do,” RowVaughn Wells said.
Desmond Mills, who is represented by attorney Blake Ballin, plans to enter a change of plea during a hearing.
Federal prosecutors want to block the use of references to Tyre Nichols’ alleged “bad” character and conduct by defense counsel for the officers accused of beating him to death in pretrial motions and during trial.
Attorneys for the City of Memphis previously filed a motion to strike any mention of the former Atlanta “Red Dog” police unit in the $550 million lawsuit, arguing the information would be immaterial and scandalous.
Attorneys for a former officer and a former lieutenant of the Memphis Police Department argue the $550 million civil lawsuit should have been filed by Tyre Nichols’ young son.
Attorneys for the U.S. government have argued the defense is looking to tarnish Tyre Nichols’ character during the May 2024 trial, while attorneys for the defense say Nichols’ state of mind that night is key.
Lawyers for three of the five former Memphis officers involved in the death of Tyre Nichols had filed motions to sever their cases, arguing they could not receive fair trials if all five face a jury together.
The Memphis Tigers kick off basketball season, and a judge is expected to rule on whether to separate trials for three of the five former officers accused in Tyre Nichols’ death.
The five are defendants in both the criminal and civil cases.
Most of the cases dismissed as a result of their ties to the five former Memphis Police Department officers accused in Tyre Nichols’ death were street-level drug offenses, weapons violations and driving violations.
A judge is slated to issue an order by the end of next week allowing for the public release of additional video, audio, reports and personnel files related to the Tyre Nichols case.
Emmitt Martin III made his first court federal court appearance Thursday, Sept. 14, and was arraigned before Magistrate Judge Annie Christoff.
U.S. District Judge Mark Norris is weighing how the civil lawsuit over Tyre Nichols’ death should proceed and what parties should be involved.
Decertification process for fellow officer Preston Hemphill was also placed on hold.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith made their initial appearances in federal court Wednesday before Magistrate Judge Charmiane Claxton and were arraigned on the charges.
“Effective policing requires public trust,” said Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Five former officers in Tyre Nichols case federally indictedRelated story:
According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to intentionally “withhold and omit material information and knowingly make false and misleading statements” to cover up the use of force taken out on Nichols.
Of the five officers charged in Nichols’ death, three so far have filed motions to separate their cases.
Memphis has filed a motion to dismiss the $550 million lawsuit against the city and to strike allegations against Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis.
Memphis mayoral candidate Van Turner says on “Behind The Headlines” the federal investigation of the Memphis Police Department could play a large role in determining whether the next mayor changes MPD leadership.
According to emails released to The Daily Memphian, the MFD prepped for an “all hands on deck” situation while preparing for potential civil unrest following the release of footage of Tyre Nichols’ traffic stop.
The new federal investigation puts Memphis in the company of other cities that have been the subject of scrutiny after high-profile instances of police violence.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said Friday he sought to talk with Justice Department officials ahead of Thursday’s announcement of the “pattern and practice” review of the MPD but was rebuffed.
The family of Jarveon Hudspeth continued to call Monday for transparency regarding the 21-year-old’s fatal shooting at the hands of a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputy on June 24.
The City said the plaintiffs had not shown any evidence that Nichols’ death was the result of the City’s policies rather than the actions of the five charged in Nichols’ death.