FOR RIO LINDA ONLINE
Date: May 7, 2025
MEMPHIS, TN – In a stunning verdict delivered Wednesday, three former Memphis police officers—Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean, and Justin Smith—were acquitted of all state charges, including second-degree murder, in the January 2023 beating death of Tyree Nichols. Mr. Nichols was a former student at Rio Linda High School, and his death sent shockwaves across the nation and particularly resonated within our own community.
This was the second trial for the three men. The fatal encounter occurred over two years ago when Mr. Nichols, a FedEx employee, was pulled over in a traffic stop on his way home. Harrowing surveillance and body camera footage later released showed officers restraining, repeatedly kicking, and pummeling Mr. Nichols, who died from his injuries three days later.
The state jury, selected from the Chattanooga area to ensure impartiality, deliberated for over eight hours following a seven-day trial. The acquittal stands in stark contrast to the outcome of the officers’ federal trial last fall. In that case, Haley, Bean, and Smith were all found guilty of witness tampering. Additionally, federal jurors found Haley guilty of violating Mr. Nichols’s civil rights by causing bodily injury, though they were acquitted of federal charges of violating his civil rights by causing his death. Sentencing in the federal case is expected later this year.
Prosecutors in the state trial argued that the officers’ anger, adrenaline, and frustration led to the fatal assault, emphasizing the severity of Mr. Nichols’s injuries as seen in the video evidence. However, defense lawyers for the three men sought to downplay their individual roles, asserting their actions were an appropriate response to a suspect who fled from police. They also presented character witnesses and attempted to portray Mr. Nichols as a formidable opponent, noting that small amounts of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and stolen ID cards were found in his car.
The brutal death of Mr. Nichols, who was Black, led to widespread condemnation and became another focal point in the national conversation about police brutality. All officers involved were also Black. In the aftermath, Memphis officials fired the officers and others involved, and disbanded the elite SCORPION police unit to which they belonged. A subsequent Justice Department investigation found that the Memphis Police Department had engaged in a pattern of excessive violence and discriminatory treatment of Black residents.
Two other former officers involved in the incident, Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin III, had previously pleaded guilty in federal court. Mr. Mills testified during this state trial.
The Rio Linda and Natomas communities continue to mourn the loss of Tyree. This latest development will undoubtedly be met with deep disappointment and concern by many.
