A jury on Wednesday acquitted three former Memphis police officers of all state charges in the January 2023 death of Tyre Nichols following a traffic stop. Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith, and Demetrius Haley were found not guilty on seven counts, including second-degree murder.
The other charges the former officers faced included two counts each of aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and one count of official oppression. Jury deliberations took more than eight hours over two days before reaching a verdict in the high-profile case, concluding the state phase of the Tyre Nichols trial for these three defendants. The jury was selected from a panel in Hamilton County.
Prosecutors argued the former officers acted out of anger and frustration after Nichols ran from the initial traffic stop, using excessive force and attempting to conceal their actions. They presented evidence including the chief medical examiner's testimony, who described Nichols' injuries as consistent with those seen in severe car crashes, and the SkyCop surveillance video of the incident.
Attorneys for the defense contended their clients' actions were a response to a difficult arrest situation involving a non-compliant suspect. They emphasized the inherent dangers and stress officers face, particularly members of units focused on violent crime. Defense lawyers highlighted that the former officers believed Nichols possessed "superhuman strength" during the encounter and that compliance could have altered the outcome. The officers belonged to the department's now-disbanded SCORPION Unit, which was tasked with addressing violent crime in targeted areas and often encountered armed individuals.
The state rested its case after calling five witnesses, while the defense presented seventeen witnesses. None of the three former officers on trial testified in their own defense. Closing arguments in the trial concluded Tuesday, leading to jury deliberations.
Two other former Memphis police officers were also charged in the case. Desmond Mills Jr. previously pleaded guilty to federal charges and testified during this trial as part of his plea agreement. The state trial for the fifth officer, Emmitt Martin III, has been severed and will take place separately.
Medical personnel who treated Nichols at the scene testified they were not informed by the officers that he had been repeatedly struck. One former EMT stated the medical care provided would have been different had he known about the injuries sustained during the stop and detention.
Bean, Haley, and Smith were previously convicted of federal witness tampering related to the alleged cover-up following Nichols' death. Nichols died three days after the January 7, 2023 traffic stop near his parents' house. The Nichols family has a pending civil lawsuit against the City of Memphis.
