April Trial Set for Former Memphis Officers Charged in Tyre Nichols’ Death

Three Memphis police officers will stand trial on April 28, 2025, beating 29-year-old Tyre Nichols to death.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith face state charges of second-degree murder after pleading not guilty. Nichols died three days after his encounter with the police force in January 2023.
Caught on video, the assault showed officers chasing, pepper-spraying, and repeatedly striking Nichols near his home.
Shelby County Judge James Jones Jr. scheduled their trial in state court for April 28. Jones also set a Nov. 25 hearing to discuss motions filed by defense attorneys to have the officers stand trial separately.
The April trial follows significant legal proceedings, including federal convictions. In October 2024, Bean, Haley, and Smith were found guilty of witness tampering related to the incident.
Haley was also convicted of two federal civil rights violations and conspiracy. Their sentencing is scheduled for January 2025.
Attorneys for Bean and Smith have filed motions to overturn their federal convictions, citing procedural concerns. U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris has not yet ruled on these motions.
Two other officers involved, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., pled guilty to federal charges and testified against their former colleagues. They await sentencing and are expected to change their pleas in state court, likely avoiding trial for second-degree murder.
Footage from body cameras and security cameras revealed Nichols being pepper-sprayed, struck with a baton, and severely beaten by officers just steps from his home.
Nichols cried out for his mother during the assault, which an autopsy confirmed caused his death due to traumatic brain injuries.
The Memphis Police Department’s now-disbanded SCORPION Unit, of which the officers were members, was established by the Memphis Police Department in October 2021 to address rising violent crime rates.
The unit was disbanded in January 2023 following Nichols’ death.
Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kristen Clarke, who oversees the Justice Department’s civil rights division, said, “Tyre Nichols should be alive today.”
Ben Crump and Anthony Romanucci, lawyers for Nichols’ family, said last month’s verdicts leading to this point “bring a measure of accountability for his senseless and tragic death.”
“Our fight for justice for Tyre is far from over,” the lawyers said in a joint statement.
RowVaughn Wells, Nichols’ announced a $550 million lawsuit against the City of Memphis and Police Chief Cerelyn Davis.
“This has been a long journey for our family,” Wells said following their guilty verdicts.
“I’m actually in shock right now because I still can’t believe all the stuff that’s going on. But we’re happy that they all have been convicted and they have been arrested.”
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a “patterns and practices” investigation into the Memphis Police Department, examining its use of force, arrest practices, and potential racial discrimination.
Pastor Earle Fisher, a Memphis activist, expressed hope for meaningful outcomes, saying, “These investigations must provide the remedies we so rightly deserve.”
Rodney Wells, Nichols’ stepfather, reflected on the mixed federal convictions, saying, “A win is a win. They’re all going to jail.”
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press