Four of the five Memphis Police officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols have been released on a combined $1million bond after yesterday being arrested.
Justin Smith, Desmond Mills Jr, Emmitt Martin III and Tadarrius Bean have all now been released from Shelby County Jail, according to court records.
A fifth office, Demetrius Haley is still in jail with a $350,000 bond, with all five charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct, and official oppression.
Tyre Nichols, 29, died in hospital on January 10, three days after a traffic stop that ended with him being severely injured.
Tyre Nichols is pictured in hospital after the incident. The 29-year-old from Memphis died on January 10 from cardiac arrest and kidney failure, three days after he was pulled over for reckless driving by police in unmarked cars
TOP L-R: Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III. BOTTOM L-R: Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith
Shelby County District attorney Steve Mutlroy said Tyre was left bloody and bruised after he was pepper sprayed and beaten just yards from his home.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation conducted an independent investigation into the use of force by Memphis cops.
All five were fired last Friday for violation of police, with City officials saying that they were notified on January 15.
It comes as Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said on CNN that the video of the attack, which is set to be released today, is worse than that of Rodney King.
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said that the video of the attack on Nichol’s was the worst of her career.
Tyre Nichols, 29, died in hospital on January 10, three days after a traffic stop that ended with him being severely injured
She added: ‘I don’t think I’ve witnessed anything of that nature in my entire career. I was outraged. It was incomprehensible to me. It was that bad.
‘We are going to see acts that defy humanity, a disregard for life, duty of care and a level of physical interaction that is above and beyond what is required in law enforcement.
‘I’m sure that individuals watching will feel what the family felt. And if you don’t, then you’re not a human being.
‘I would say it is about the same if not worse than the 1991 beating of Rodney King. A group think mentality.’
The police chief added that there is ‘no proof’ that Nichols was driving recklessly when he was pulled over – with cops failing to substantiate claims that he was.
Five former Memphis police officers have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump speaks at a news conference with the family of Tyre Nichols on Thursday
Davis said that the cops were ‘amped up’ when they stopped him, with two of the officers being part of a special team to stop street crime.
She said that the nature of the stop was ‘very aggressive’ and it just ‘escalated from there.’
The Police Chief added that she heard Tyre call out for his mother in the video, which will be released later on today.
Nichols was reportedly able to get away from the officers after the initial stop, but they found him again at another location, with Davis adding: ‘there was an amount of aggression that was unexplainable.’
However, Davies said she does not believe that the incident was ‘racist’ – adding that it ‘takes of the table that issues and problems in law enforcement is about race.’
She went on: ‘It is about human dignity, integrity, accountability and the duty to protect. As this video will show – it doesn’t matter whose wearing the uniform.’
People attend a candlelight vigil in memory of Tyre Nichols at the Tobey Skate Park on January 26 in Memphis
Dozens of people peacefully paid tribute to the murdered Fed-Ex worker, with police gearing up to deal with potential violence after footage of the incident is released
Memphis Police confirmed that they planned to release the video late on Friday to avoid any ‘peaceful protest’ disruptions to members of the community.
It comes as major US cities are bracing for possible violence after the release of the footage, with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp calling in the National Guard in a state of emergency in Atlanta.
He has called in 1,000 troops to be called up in an attempt to prevent the unrest and chaos that took place in last week’s riots – and could be even more extreme following the release of the graphic footage.
The order said the state of emergency was declared because of ‘unlawful assemblage, violence, overt threats of violence, disruption of the peace and tranquillity of this state and danger existing to persons and property.’
Protestors took to the streets of Atlanta after the death of activist Manuel Terna, 26, who was shot and killed by Georgia State Patrol after allegedly shooting a state trooper who was trying to clear protesters from the area.
Authorities were trying to clear the construction site of a new $90million public safety training center dubbed ‘Cop City’ which has come under fierce opposition from demonstrators.
