How 3 cops charged in Tyré Nichols’ death went from conviction to new trial
Tadarrius Bean (top left), Demetrius Haley (middle left) and Justin Smith (bottom left) — along with their respective attorneys John Keith Perry (top right), Michael Stengel (middle right) and Martin Zummach (bottom right) — were granted a new trial. (From top to bottom: Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian, Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file, Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)
New details about a federal judge’s alleged and unsubstantiated accusations of gang involvement within the Memphis Police Department have been made public a day after another federal judge ordered a new trial for three officers charged in the 2023 death of Tyré Nichols.
A chain of events that eventually led to the three men being granted a new trial this week centers on comments allegedly made by U.S. District Judge Mark Norris who presided over the case from its inception in 2023 until his abrupt recusal in June 2025. Also at issue is the carjacking and attempted murder of one of Norris’ former law clerks, a crime the judge wanted investigated as a federal matter because he allegedly did not trust MPD.
As details about those circumstances began to surface in court filings, which until Thursday, Aug. 28, had been shielded from the public, lawyers for the convicted defendants started pushing for mistrials.
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Jane Donahoe
Jane Donahoe is The Daily Memphian’s metro editor. She has a Bachelor of Arts in communications with a concentration in newspaper editorial writing from the University of Memphis. She’s worked as an editor for several other local publications, including the Memphis Business Journal and The Daily News.
Aarron Fleming
Aarron Fleming covers public safety for The Daily Memphian, focusing on crime and the local court system. He earned his bachelor’s in journalism and strategic media from the University of Memphis.
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