AURN News with Ebony McMorris

Calls for Police Reform at Tyre Nichols’ Funeral

Ebony McMorris
February 2, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes

On Wednesday, RowVaughn Wells, mother of Tyre Nichols, called her son’s death unimaginable.

“I promise you the only thing that’s keeping me going is the fact that I really, truly believe my son was sent here on an assignment from God,” Wells said.

The remains of Tyre Nichols are escorted out of the church after a funeral service on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn. Nichols was beaten by Memphis police officers, and later died from his injuries. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

At the funeral, civil rights attorney Ben Crump slammed Memphis police.

“Why couldn’t they see the humanity in Tyre?” Crump said.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Rev. Al Sharpton also attended the funeral and both called for the passage of a police reform bill.

“We demand that Congress pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,” the vice president said.

“Why do we want to see the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act pass? Because then you have to think twice before you beat Tyre Nichols,” Rev. Sharpton said.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the funeral service for Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Standing are Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Dr. J. Lawrence Turner. Nichols died following a brutal beating by Memphis police after a traffic stop. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean via AP, Pool)

Nichols died three days after being beaten by five Black Memphis police officers.

Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris is a native Washingtonian and University of South Carolina alumna. Her passion is mentoring young adults by teaching community empowerment and media education. She is an NAB member and board member of the Thurgood Marshall Center and was presented the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing more than 4,000 hours of community service under the Obama Administration.