Tyre Nichols Murder: Autopsy Shows Blunt Force Trauma
How can we take action against police brutality?
Updated May 4, 2023
- Tyre Nichols' recently released autopsy results show that he died of blunt force injuries to the head after being beaten by Memphis Police Department officers on Jan. 7, 2023. The autopsy lists the manner of death as a homicide. It also describes multiple contusions, brain injuries, cuts, and bruises to the head and other parts of the body.
- After shooting Nichols with a stun gun, the officers punched, kicked, and bashed him with a baton as he yelled for his mother. Nichols’ mother has filed a $550 million federal lawsuit against the city, the police department, and police chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis.
Updated February 8, 2023
- New documents show that the police officers guilty of murdering Tyre Nichols texted photos of his beaten body to at least five people.
- The photos showed Nichols bloodied and handcuffed against the side of a police car, the Memphis Police Department stated.
- One text was sent to a recipient outside of the police force, violating policies about confidentiality.
- Police officials said that the photos were part of a larger set of mocking, hostile, and abusive behaviors against Nichols leading up to his death.
Updated January 30, 2023
- The Memphis police department announced its permanently disbanding the SCORPION Unit, which included the five officers responsible for Nichols' death.
- The department launched the unit in 2021 to prevent crime rates from rising in the city. On Saturday, Memphis police posted a statement on Twitter saying it was in the best interest of all if the unit was permanently deactivated.
"The officers currently assigned to the unit agree unreservedly with this next step. While the heinous actions of a few casts a cloud of dishonor on the title SCORPION, it is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department take proactive steps in the healing process for all impacted."
UPDATE - Friday, January 27, 2023 - 7:04 PM ET
UPDATE - Friday, January 27, 2023 - 6:40 PM ET
- Memphis authorities are planning to release body camera footage from the arrest - and murder - of Tyre Nichols by five former police officers.
- Cities across the U.S. are bracing for protests and rallies for police reform. Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was beaten to death after a traffic stop on Jan. 7. The five former officers - who are also Black - face charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression.
- Ahead of the footage's release, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis warned:
"You're going to see a disregard for human life."
- The video will be uploaded to YouTube in four separate clips sometime after 6 p.m. CT Friday. Surveillance video from the neighborhood will accompany the body camera footage.
This is an ongoing story and will be updated.
What’s the story?
- Five former police officers in Memphis, TN, have been charged with murder for the death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old who was beaten during a traffic stop and died a few days after.
- On top of second-degree murder, the officers face charges of aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression.
What happened to Nichols?
- Nichols died on Jan. 10, a few days after police stopped him for reckless driving on Jan. 7. Police reported that Nichols had two “confrontations” with officers after he fled the traffic stop and was then taken into custody.
- According to the authorities, he was taken to the hospital in critical condition after complaining of shortness of breath.
- Nichols' family members said he was unrecognizable after the beating during the traffic stop. The family’s attorneys said the officers tased, pepper-sprayed, and restrained Nichols during the “savage” attack, and said he was left “defenseless.” Ben Crump, one of the attorneys, said:
“Yet again, we’re seeing evidence of what happens to Black and brown people from simple traffic stops. You should not be killed because of a simple traffic stop.”
- Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, said her son didn't carry guns or do drugs and was a "beautiful soul." A photo circulating the news and social media shows Nicholas lying in a hospital bed, badly bruised, after his arrest. Wells, and the rest of the family, are left to question why police felt the need to arrest Nichols so violently.
The authorities’ response
- The five officers involved in Nichols' death were terminated from the Memphis Police Department on Jan. 20.
- Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis released a statement to address “the horrific circumstances” of Nichols’ arrest and death. She called the incident “heinous, reckless and inhumane” and said the officers violated multiple policies, “including excessive use of force, duty to intervene, and duty to render aid.” She continued:
“The Memphis Police Department is committed to protecting and defending the rights of every citizen in our city. The egregious nature of this incident is not a reflection of the good work that our officers perform, with integrity, every day."
- The Department of Justice, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI have launched civil rights investigations into Nichols’ death.
Donate to the family's funeral and memorial services through the GoFundMe page created by Nichols' friend Angelina Paxton.
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Murder is murder whether it is a policeman or a common citizen who commits the act. It's time to bring some equity into this situation.
Abolish police immunity!
We need federal standards for policing! Federal standards for training, Federal standards for mental health care of the officers!
Better health care for officers injured on the job!
You don't really need to ask me this question. Researching my final paper for my undergrad criminology class I found that there have been dozens of books written about this subject by police themselves from all around the world.
Do you want the short answer? HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!
It past due to fix policing
REMOVE QUALIFIED IMMUNITY FROM THE POLICE!
Hold police to account for their actions just like everyone else!
Qualified immunity must be abolished! Police officers must not be allowed to be judge, jury and executioner!
Charge those who do and get the police unions behind not protecting abusive acts.
Police brutality is a horrible problem! There are many cases of horrible abuse! Police recruits should be screened at a lot higher level. Power hungry, brutal people, do not belong in positions of power.
No exceptions prosecutions!
As with most actions where a change in culture is desired, it starts with leadership! It is not going to be easy to turn this ship to a new direction but with strong, dedicated and consistent leadership, the ship will be turned. Leadership has to lay out proper behavior for the officers on the street. Failure to adhere to the established policies must result in swift corrective actions. All officers must be trained on the new policies. And there should be tracking mechanisms to measure progress! If leadership does not want to lead, then replace them.
In a lot of these cases a crime was brought to the attention of the Police. What was done in these cases was wrong, however before you begin to look at the cops look at the individual first and find out why they became a suspect. If you did nothing wrong 99% of the time you won't come into contact with the Police.
Police accountability, judicial accountability, all accountability is the only way to reel in out of control authoritarian behaviors.
We need to eradicate immunity for police!
I'm tired of the terror police impose on communities of color.
Police departments need better screening. As does congress. They also need accountability. As does congress.
This response is not perfect, but a FAST action should be required whenever a citizen does at the hands of the police. This action is what should have been the MINIMUM required of our police command and poolitical leaders for the last 100 years! This is better than what we have seen in DOZENS of other cases in the last two decades. Now we need to decide how to continue to improve.
end qualified imunitity.
this is not a case of '' a few bad apples'' this IS police culture.
We need full accountability, and serious reforms to our justice system, as well as how we enforce law.
Extremely angry! No one heard this person screaming for help? No one noticed the lights flashing? W! T! F! Tyre was treated like a piece of garbage! Why did no one intervene?! Why did they beat this man? They all just stood around while he was probably bleeding internally. Were the EMTs afraid of the 5 monsters? Seriously!?! What stopped them from helping Tyre? All who were on the scene are guilty for not doing their jobs and allowing this to happen! I'm that crazy person who would have intervened. Thank God for the camera on that pole! I don't care to hear any excuses for their actions. A traffic stop!?! They murdered Tyre for no reason! They need to suffer, not just sit in a jail cell. They do not belong out in society! What was going through their minds? Didn't get their ticket quota for their shift? Pissed off, so they took it out on poor Tyre. Heart felt condolences and prayers are heard almost everyday! We the People have to stand up and start correcting these problems! Enough is enough!!!
5 Police officers beat a young father to death purportedly for "Suspicion on Driving Recklessly".
There is only one word that describes that--EVIL.
I don't have any idea what these thugs had against this guy but they had no fear of being videoed.....the scorpion teams have been disbanded but the record of their deeds now needs examined.....The parents asked for respect and peace but antifa, Soros and the DIMs all have different ideas and now the police can use major force to take all of them down...
I don't understand how these cops can get away with this BS.
There were 5 of them against 1.
While there is a need for law and order, we can't have them going rogue. This was horrendous misconduct from authority.