TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jul 22, 2024

Federal Judge Mark S. Norris recently denied six motions to dismiss aspects of the indictment against former Memphis police officers charged in the Tyre Nichols federal criminal case. Five of the six motions were filed by attorneys for Emmitt Martin III and were joined by the other defendants, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills and Justin Smith. Those motions argued that various charges were unconstitutional, vague or lacking specific facts and evidence, and that the prosecution improperly stated Martin's duty to intervene. Norris rejected all of those claims. The sixth motion was filed by attorneys for Tadarrius Bean. They argued that the prosecution failed to give fair notice of his charges. Norris rejected that motion as well, finding that the facts presented in the indictment supported each count on which Bean was charged. Read more about the rulings from the Commercial Appeal.