Tennessee’s Shelby County District Attorney’s office ruled on Thursday, Aug. 17, to drop 30 to 40 cases the officers responsible for Tyre Nichols’ death worked, Local Memphis reported.
The DA reviewed approximately 100 cases that former Memphis Police officers Tadarrius Bean, Emmitt Martin III, Justin Smith, Desmond Mills Jr. and Demetrius Haley oversaw and dismissed over 30 cases. A dozen of them witnessed reduced charges.
Bean, Martin III, Smith, Mills Jr. and Haley were charged with second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault and official misconduct in Nichols’ death. A sixth officer (white), Preston Hemphill, didn’t face any charges but was fired during the investigation.
In addition to dismissing over 30 of the cases, the former officers had their cases reviewed in court Friday, Aug. 18. The judge set their trial date to Sept. 15, where it will be decided if suspects will have individual trials or one.
Shelby County prosecutor Paul Hagerman believes the suspects should have one trial.
“We’re going to make it clear that as a matter of law, we believe it should be tried together,” Hagerman said, according to Action 5 News. “That a law of criminal responsibility when different actors join together to commit a crime. We’re going to make that clear in our response.”
The incident occurred on Jan. 7, 2023. On his way home, MPD pulled Nichols over for reckless driving in the evening, but Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis claimed that narrative lacked evidence.
The encounter escalated to the officers beating, kicking and pepper spraying the 29-year-old, which was caught on bodycam footage.
Medical personnel took their sweet and precious time to arrive at the scene once they were called and transported the 29-year-old to Saint Francis Hospital. The Memphis Fire Department fired three EMTs for their lack of urgency to assist Nichols.
“Their actions or inactions on the scene that night do not meet the expectations of the Memphis Fire Department and are not reflective of the outstanding service the men and women of the (MFD) provide daily in our community,” MFD said.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation took over the examination and informed the public that Nichols died from his injuries just three days after the incident, sparking public outrage.
Rumors spread all over the internet claiming Haley organized the beating because Nichols allegedly slept with his former girlfriend, but the 29-year-old skateboarder’s stepfather, Rodney Wells, denied the claims.
“My son was not messing around with one of the officer’s wives. That’s just a rumor,” Wells said during a candlelight vigil for his stepson.
All officers will have to attend the Sept. 15 court appearance.
