TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jan 30, 2023

Peaceful protests and calls for change from community leaders are dominating the news following Friday’s release of video footage showing the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols by Memphis police officers during a Jan. 7 traffic stop. Multiple videos from police body cameras and a SkyCop poll camera document officers using tasers, pepper spray and batons against Nichols, as well as pushing him to the ground, kicking and punching him. At protests on Saturday, speakers called for changes in local and national police policy and for all officers seen in the video footage to be fired and charged. Attorneys for Nichols’ family spoke in support of the Memphis Police Department’s decision to deactivate the SCORPION Unit (a specialized unit that focused in areas with high crime) and encouraged police departments across the country to end similar units. All five officers charged in the death of Nichols were members of the unit. On Friday, lawyers announced plans to file a civil suit against the unit. On Sunday, the Memphis Chapter of the NAACP held a press conference to call for national legislation to address police reform, Local Memphis reports. Today, the Memphis Police Department announced that a sixth officer, seen tasing Nichols, has been placed on leave. Officer Preston Hemphill was at the location of the initial stop but did not proceed to the second scene. According to his lawyer, Hemphill is cooperating with officials.