Judge James Jones Jr., listens during closing arguments in the trial of three former Memphis police officers accused in the 2023 fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, Pool)
Three former Memphis police officers were acquitted of all state charges — including second-degree murder — in the 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols, according to The New York Times.
The acquittal follows an earlier federal trial in which they were found guilty of lesser offenses, including witness tampering.
Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was violently beaten after a traffic stop and died three days later. Video footage of the assault sparked national outrage.
This combo of booking images provided by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office shows, from top row from left, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, bottom row from left, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith. Four of five former Memphis police officers charged in the killing of Tyre Nichols, a Black man who was handcuffed, brutally beaten and ignored by first responders for minutes despite being barely conscious, can no longer work as law enforcement in Tennessee. (Shelby County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
Prosecutors argued that the officers used excessive force, while defense lawyers claimed they were reacting to a fleeing suspect.
Nichols’ family and civil rights advocates condemned the verdict as a miscarriage of justice, reigniting concerns about police accountability and systemic bias.
Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC.
