Memphis police beat man for 3 minutes, attorney says
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A lawyer for the family of a Black man who died at a hospital three days after a confrontation with five Black police officers during a traffic stop said Monday that video of the encounter shows it was “violent” and “troublesome on every level.”
Attorney Ben Crump said during a news conference that the footage of Tyre Nichols’ Jan. 7 arrest “is appalling. It is deplorable. It is heinous.”
Crump, who viewed the footage hours earlier along with Nichols’ family and their other lawyers, said it reminded them of the infamous video of the Los Angeles police beating of Rodney King.
“Regrettably, it reminded us of Rodney King video . ... And unlike Rodney King, Tyre didn’t survive,” he said.
Another of the family’s attorneys, Antonio Romanucci, said the beating of Nichols lasted three minutes.
“He was a human pinata for those police officers,” Romanucci said.
Crump said the authorities won’t release the video to the public for a week or two, but that it will be released.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy issued a statement Monday saying investigators don’t want the release of the video to the public yet because they don’t want to risk compromising the investigation.
Nichols, a 29-year-old father, FedEx worker and avid skateboarder, died Jan. 10 at a hospital, authorities said.
Memphis Police Department Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis announced Friday that five officers involved in the arrest were fired after the police probe determined that they used excessive force or failed to intervene and render aid.
Nichols’ family, protesters and activists have called for the video’s release and for the officers to be charged with murder.
The officers have been identified as Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith.
Relatives have accused police of beating Nichols and causing him to have a heart attack.
Authorities have only said that Nichols experienced a medical emergency.
The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the arrest, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is looking into whether excessive force was used.
City and community leaders have expressed concern about the possibility of civil unrest following the video’s release.
Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells, said Monday the family hopes that any protests remain peaceful.
Nichols was arrested after officers stopped him for reckless driving, police said.
In a news release the day after his arrest, the police department said that as officers approached the vehicle, “a confrontation occurred’ and he ran. It said officers caught up to him and that “another confrontation occurred” while they were taking him into custody.
Officials said a cause of death has not been determined.