A jury of Tennessee cleared on Wednesday Three former Memphis Police officers of all state positions derived from the fatal beating of a black motorist who caused protests throughout the country two years ago.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith were found not guilty of second degree murder, among other positions, in the death of Tire Nichols.
Judge James Jones Jr. ordered the men released immediately. The three were overcome by emotion while they hugged and their lawyers in the Memphis court room.
Memphis’s former officers had already faced time after bars after being convicted of some federal positions derived from the death of Nichols.
Nichols, employee of Fedex, and aspiring photographer, was arrested for alleged reckless driving around 8:24 PM CST of January 7, 2023.
“Take out the car from the car!” An officer shouted as he took Nichols out of his car.
“I did nothing,” Nichols replied.
While I was on the pavement, the officers could be seen using pepper spray and a taser in Nichols before fleeing on foot.
He ran to his mother’s house, but chasing the officers finally reached about 80 yards from that house, authorities said.
The images of the body of the body showed that Nichols was beaten and kicked while absorbing more pepper spray.
Nichols shouted “Mom!” As was hit during the second confrontation with the police.
A police training officer and an expert in use of force testified for prosecutors and called the actions taken by officers against “unnecessary” and “excessive” Nichols.
The beating reflected a practice of application of the common law known as the “street tax” or the “execution tax” to abuse a suspect who flees, prosecutors said.
The death of Nichols, three days after the beating, caused protests against police brutality throughout the country.
The victim’s parents were invited from the White House for the state of the state of the union of President Joe Biden only a few weeks later.
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