Ex-Memphis officers found guilty of witness tampering in Tyre Nichols' fatal beating

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Three former Memphis officers were convicted Thursday of federal witness tampering charges in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols, 29, a Black man who was violently beaten during a traffic stop in 2023.

After about five hours of deliberations, two officers were acquitted of federal civil rights violations and one officer was acquitted on the most severe charge — violating Nichols’ civil rights causing death. A jury found Demetrius Haley guilty of using excessive force, being deliberately indifferent to Nichols' medical needs, and conspiring to witness tamper and witness tampering.

While Haley was found guilty on all counts, the jury found that the first two counts ― using excessive force and being deliberately indifferent to Nichols' medical needs ― resulted in injury, not death, and convicted him on lesser charges.

Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith Jr. were found guilty of witness tampering. They were charged alongside former officers Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr.

Both Martin and Mills took deals — pleading guilty to using excessive force and conspiring to witness tamper — ahead of trial and testified for the prosecution at trial. Mills' plea came with a recommended 15-year sentence by prosecutors; under Martin's plea agreement, prosecutors will suggest a 40-year sentence.

All three convicted officers were immediately taken into custody and a hearing will be held Monday to determine if they can be released on bond before their sentencing. A sentencing hearing is set for Jan. 22.

The maximum sentence for the other three was life in federal prison based on the original charges. It's unclear what the maximum sentence will be for Haley.

Smith and Bean face a maximum sentence of 20 years. There is no parole in the federal system, meaning each defendant will serve the entirety of their sentence.

'He wasn't a threat':Ex-officer says police 'exaggerated' Tyre Nichols' behavior during traffic stop

'I will never get my little brother back'

Both of Nichols' parents said they were happy to see that the officers who beat their son will be going to federal prison. RowVaughn and Rodney Wells — flanked by family, friends, attorneys and activists — were rushed by media outlets as they exited the Odell Horton Federal Building in Memphis.

"All of them have been convicted of something and they're going to jail," RowVaughn Wells said. "This has been a long journey for our family. I'm actually in shock right now because I can't believe all this stuff is going on. But we're happy that they all have been convicted."

"Thank God all of them are going to jail for what they did to my boy," high-profile civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Nichols' family, recounted Rodney Wells telling him as he watched the former officers be taken into custody.

Nichols' older sister, who previously told reporters that she was almost like a second mother to Nichols while he grew up, said Thursday's verdict marked "a bittersweet day."

"I will never get my little brother back. But to see those officers held accountable for what they did and put our family through did give me some hope for the future that maybe this won't ever happen to another family," Keyana Dixon said. "What they did to my brother was wrong and to see them go into custody and held accountable was anything and everything that my family could ask for."

Deliberations were quicker than the pace of the trial, which went on for nearly four weeks. Jurors weighed the testimony of 19 witnesses from the prosecution, nine witnesses from the defense, hours of footage from the incident, and pages upon pages of reports entered into evidence.

The trial never reached a flow due to numerous objections leading to sidebar conversations between Judge Mark S. Norris. and the attorneys. Multiple motions were argued throughout the trial, with the jury removed from the courtroom, which sometimes delayed court for hours.

Poor weather from two East Coast hurricanes added to the obstacles at trial, including a shortened day to allow jurors to safely return home.

What happened to Tyre Nichols?

Nichols was pulled over in the evening hours of Jan. 7, 2023. The stop was originally described as a reckless driving stop by police but Martin — the officer who initiated the stop — said during his testimony that Nichols had sped up to beat a red light.

Martin asked for assistance as he followed Nichols, according to his testimony, saying that "he's getting little on me," to insinuate Nichols was fleeing from Martin. He went on to testify that this was his attempt at "escalating" the situation.

Footage released by the city, much of which was shown during the trial, showed officers aggressively pulling Nichols from the car. Martin testified that both he and Haley had their guns drawn when they stopped Nichols.

Martin and Haley wrestled Nichols to the ground and began to pepper spray him. Eventually, the officers' grip on Nichols loosened and the 29-year-old Black man was able to escape. He ran from the scene, with another former officer who was not criminally charged — Preston Hemphill — firing his Taser at Nichols. Though it was unclear whether the prongs hit Nichols, he could be seen on video pulling a jacket off as the electricity sounded from the Taser.

Other officers then found Nichols and tackled him. They punched him, held his arms, kicked him, pepper sprayed him, and struck him with a baton. Through the scrum, officers yelled for Nichols to "give us your hands" despite two officers holding him up by each of his arms.

Nichols was ultimately handcuffed and pulled over to an unmarked squad car. He was placed against it and the officers at the scene laughed while recounting the arrest. In the background of a SkyCop camera, Nichols could be seen slumped over.

He was taken to the hospital in critical condition, and medical professionals testified at trial that his heart had stopped beating for about 25 minutes. Nichols was placed on a ventilator and died at the hospital three days later.

(This story has been updated to add new information.)