MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Three former Memphis Police officers on trial, Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith, were found not guilty of unreasonable force resulting in death but guilty of obstruction of justice in the beating death of Tyre Nichols.
According to Fox13 News in Memphis, Demetrius Haley was also found guilty on lesser counts including unreasonable force resulting in bodily harm and deprivation of rights resulting in bodily injury. The former officers will be sentenced on January 2025.
The trial lasted nearly a month, beginning on September 9. While they were on trial together, each of the former officers retained different defense attorneys who argued on behalf of their respective clients. Each officer faced charges of using unreasonable force, deliberate indifference, conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice.
The charges of unreasonable use of force and deliberate indifference could both result in a life sentence. Conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice could both result in 20 years in prison.
The other two officers involved in the case, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., accepted plea deals. Mills was the first to admit guilty in the federal case, taking a plea deal in November 2023.
Prosecutors recommended a 15-year prison sentence for Mills. Martin accepted a plea deal just weeks before the federal trial began. Prosecutors recommended a 40-year prison sentence for Martin. It’s important to note, however, that a judge could decide on a lengthier or shorter sentence for Martin and Mills.
Both of the former officers who accepted deals testified for the prosecution in the federal trial. Martin testified about being angry for being assigned to desk duty and wanting revenge when he was put back out on the streets.
Martin testified that he was referred to as “full can,” given the nickname after using a full can of pepper spray on an offender during a traffic stop. Martin also said that he and Haley were referred to as the “Smash Brother” due to their well-known aggression.
According to Martin, the SCORPION Unit had made no arrests on the night Tyre Nichols was beaten, and he was upset and angry about that. Martin said that he saw Nichols speed up to beat a red light and then saw Nichols switch lanes without a turn signal. Martin admitted that Nichols’ plates came back clean and that he “exaggerated” what Nichols was doing to escalate the situation to a felony stop.
Haley quickly joined his pursuit of Nichols, Martin said, and Haley pulled Nichols to the side after Martin dragged him out of the car. Martin testified that both he and Haley had their guns out during the traffic stop and that no officer told Nichols why he had been pulled over. According to Martin, Nichols wasn’t a threat on the night he was beaten and did not kick or punch the officers.
Nichols ran away from that traffic stop, and Martin said he was already being beaten by Justin Smith and Tadarrius Bean when he found him again. Martin referred to that beating as an assault.
“I was already angry that he ran. So, I figured that’s what he gets… Him running was the tip of the iceberg. He got away and I got sprayed. I was angry,” Martin said.
Martin admitted to kicking Nichols four times and punching him in the face at least five times. According to Martin, Haley delivered a “vicious kick” to Nichols, and Nichols looked “disoriented” and “very out of it” after the beating. Martin admitted to throwing his body-worn camera on the ground in order to attempt and hide the actions of the officers involved.
He also admitted to lying to a lieutenant about what happened and why Nichols was violently arrested. Martin said there was “an understanding” between the officers that they wouldn’t tell on each other and that he gestured to Mills, indicating that Mills should take off his body-worn camera.
Under cross-examination, Martin testified that Nichols said, “Why the cops (expletive) with me?” Martin also admitted to having homicidal thoughts after being involved in a crash that took him off the streets. In an audio clip played by a defense attorney, Martin and Smith talked about hitting Nichols, but no mention of kicking was made. That was brought up by Smith’s defense attorney to imply that Smith was in the area and would’ve reported Martin had he mentioned the kicking. Defense attorney Martin Zummach claimed that Smith had previously reported a fellow member of the SCORPION unit.
