5 ex-officers charged in Tyre Nichols case plead not guilty

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The five former Memphis Police officers charged with second-degree murder in the killing of Tyre Nichols were arraigned in court Friday morning.

It was a packed courtroom when all five former officers were there as well as Tyre Nichols’ family who sat feet away. The judge asked everyone to pack their patience, saying emotions will run high throughout this case.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith were all terminated by the Memphis Police Department on January 21. They are charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated kidnapping. The unit those officers belonged to, known as the SCORPION Unit, was disbanded shortly after Nichols’ death. 

Read more about the start of the criminal proceedings for the killing of Tyre Nichols on WREG Memphis.