Memphis cops who beat Tyre Nichols had tainted records

Memphis, Tennessee - Four of the Memphis cops charged with murder in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols either received reprimands in connection with forcible arrests in the past or had been suspended at some point.

Desmond Mills Jr. and Demetrius Haley, who are among the five Memphis cops accused of killing Tyre Nichols, had previously received official reprimands.
Desmond Mills Jr. and Demetrius Haley, who are among the five Memphis cops accused of killing Tyre Nichols, had previously received official reprimands.  © Collage: via REUTERS

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith were all fired and charged with a slew of felonies following the January 7 traffic stop that resulted in Nichols’ death.

They’re accused of beating, pepper-spraying and tasing Nichols after they pulled him over on suspicion of reckless driving.

Nichols died at a hospital three days later. He was 29.

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According to personnel records obtained by ABC News, it’s not the first time some of the officers have put their hands on a suspect.

Mills had previously received a written reprimand over his failure to fill out a "Response to Resistance" form after he helped another officer forcibly arrest a woman in 2019. According to the case summary, the woman was drunk and resisting arrest, so Mills "grabbed (her) by the arms, taking her down to the ground"

He then "placed her arms behind her back and another officer put handcuffs on her," the case summary said.

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Desmond Mills Jr. (2nd from r.) is seen in bodycam footage of the incident that led to Tyre Nichols' fatal beating.
Desmond Mills Jr. (2nd from r.) is seen in bodycam footage of the incident that led to Tyre Nichols' fatal beating.  © via REUTERS

Demetrius Haley was similarly reprimanded in 2021, according to ABC News.

In that incident, Haley "grabbed" the suspect "by the arm and turned her around to be handcuff (sic) as she resisted arrest," according to the case summary. He then helped another officer force her into the back seat of the squad car, documents said.

The woman later claimed officers dislocated her shoulder on the scene. Haley also later received a written reprimand for not filling out a "Response to Resistance" form.

A separate investigation by The Commercial Appeal revealed that Justin Smith and Emmitt Martin III had also had multiple suspensions on their record.

Footage of the brutal beating suffered by Nichols was released Friday.

The graphic content sparked protests in Memphis and beyond, with thousands of people taking to the streets nationwide to call for justice on behalf of Nichols, whose funeral was held on Wednesday.

Cover photo: Collage: via REUTERS

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