Five police officers have been charged with Second Degree Murder and several lesser charges. Their arraignment is set for February 7. The judge will formally read the charges, and the task of establishing a trial date will begin.

The state’s investigation will continue. Investigators will try and discover what caused the victim, Tyre Nichols, to be stopped. It could have been a simple traffic violation. On the other hand, it could have been something more complicated.

It is questionable as to whether officers who were at the scene will give statements to investigators. More charges may be forthcoming, so any officers involved in the situation could be expected to invoke their Fifth Amendment right to silence.

The prosecution will likely attempt to have all five defendants tried together. The defense will ask that each defendant be tried separately.

The FBI will investigate possible federal criminal violations.

The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice will review the operation of the Memphis Police Department, including hiring practices, training, past allegations of police excessive use of force, and how the department dealt with these allegations. Their findings will be made public at the conclusion of the review.

Jim Leach is a retired Special Agent in Charge with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). He has worked in law enforcement for 40 years. He has launched a successful training company, and his books can be purchased at booksbyleach.com