A federal jury reached verdicts in the trial of three former Memphis police officers charged in the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols. The officers, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, and Taddarius Bean, were accused of excessive force, witness tampering, and other crimes. Nichols was pulled over for reckless driving, but there was no evidence to support the allegation. Prosecutors alleged that the officers brutally beat Nichols, who posed no threat, and then covered it up. Two other officers pleaded guilty to the same charges. Nichols died in the hospital three days after the assault, and his cause of death was listed as blows to the head. The officers were members of the Scorpion Unit, which was disbanded after Nichols’ death. Some officers admitted to their involvement in the beating, expressing remorse for their actions. The defense argued that the officers were trying to subdue a noncompliant suspect. The officers also face second-degree murder charges in state court, with some expected to change their pleas to guilty. The prosecution urged the jury to find all defendants guilty, alleging that the officers acted together in the assault that led to Nichols’ death. The trial is ongoing, and updates are expected.
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Former Memphis Officers Face Verdicts in Trial for Fatal Beating of Tyre Nichols
