2 more Memphis cops probed
The Memphis Police Department confirmed Monday that two additional officers had been taken off duty in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols, saying little except that the two were under investigation as city officials and prosecutors worked to determine who beyond the five officers already charged with second-degree murder should be held responsible.
Those investigations also led to the firing of two medics and a lieutenant by the Memphis Fire Department for failing to follow protocols, including properly assessing Nichols’ condition while he was slouched on the ground against a police vehicle, officials said.
The Shelby County Sheriff ’s Department is conducting its own investigation into the actions of two of its deputies at the scene; both have been relieved of duty pending the inquiry’s findings.
Officials said that all seven police officers had been placed on leave on Jan 8, the day after Nichols, a 29-year-old black man, was stopped by officers and kicked, pepper-sprayed and punched after he ran off.
One of the officers, Preston Hemphill, arrived just before another officer had pulled Nichols from his car while it was stopped near an intersection on the evening of Jan 7 in southeast Memphis.
The identity and involvement of the other officer who has been suspended have not been disclosed.
Mr Hemphill’s lawyer, Lee Gerald, said in a statement that one of the four videos of the encounter that were released by the city Friday, labelled Video 1, had come from Mr Hemphill’s body camera.
“He was never present at the second scene,” where officers caught up with Nichols after a brief foot chase and beat him severely, Mr Gerald said of Mr Hemphill. He added that his client “is cooperating with officials in this investigation.”
In the body camera footage, Mr Hemphill can be seen firing a stun gun at Nichols as Nichols runs away.
“Taser was deployed,” he said to a dispatcher, telling another officer later, “One of the prongs hit the bastard.”
Mr Hemphill, 26, was part of the specialised Scorpion unit that was created to patrol high-crime areas of the city, as were the five officers who have been charged with murder and other offences.
Mr Hemphill is white, and the other five officers are black.