The death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis: What to Know

This story is a collaboration between USA TODAY and The Commercial Appeal as part of the documentary video series “States of America.”  The full episode of “States of America” exploring the death of Tyre Nichols and what went wrong in Memphis premieres at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m EST on April 7 on USA TODAY NETWORK’s streaming channel available on Samsung TV Plus (Channel 1023), Roku, Plex and many more. You can also catch our full series on YouTube. 

What happened to Tyre Nichols?

Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old skateboarder who worked at FedEx's Hub operation and left Sacramento, Calif., to move to Memphis in 2020, was driving home in his neighborhood in southeast Memphis when he was pulled over by officers who were part of a specialized unit.

Officers can be seen aggressively pulling out a confused Nichols from his car, and shouting multiple, conflicting commands. The officers pulled up in unmarked vehicles, and did not give Nichols a reason for the traffic stop.

Nichols ran away as one officer got out a taser and fired at him.

When officers caught up with Nichols a short distance away, they took turns delivering blows to Nichols face and torso for three minutes, using fists and a baton.

Nichols did not receive medical care for 17 minutes, and grew increasingly disoriented as he was propped up against a police car.

He died three days later in a Memphis hospital.

It's not clear why Nichols was pulled over. Initially, police said it was an alleged reckless driving infraction that triggered the traffic stop. As more information came out, Memphis police Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis said she had not seen evidence that Nichols was driving recklessly.

What was Tyre Nichols like as a person?

Days after his death, the public learned more about Nichols. He was fond of taking photos of sunsets. The picture of who he was as a person was coming together, and it was at odds with the narrative that a traffic stop would lead to a physical altercation.

Once the photo of Nichols — unconscious in a hospital bed, blood visible on the tube that was forcing air into his lungs — surfaced, questions around what happened the night he was brutally beaten on Jan. 7 went from a simmer to rolling boil.

In the absence of a complete picture, family and friends of Nichols were already certain of one thing: If Nichols ran from the police, he had a valid reason.

"If he did run, it's because he was scared," said Chris Volkner in the days after Nichols' death. "He's never had to deal with police, and as a Black man he knows better than to fight cops. He was very vocal about BLM. I honestly never thought it would happen to him."

Who are the MPD officers charged, disciplined?

Five MPD officers – Tadarius Bean, Emmitt Martin III, Justin Smith, Demetrius Haley and Desmond Mills Jr. – were initially fired and later charged with second-degree murder and other charges. They pleaded not guilty. A sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, was also fired, but he has not been criminally charged.

The six MPD officers were part of the "SCORPION" unit, one of the many specialized units tasked with patrolling areas of Memphis considered hot spots for violent crime. SCORPION stands for Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods.

The unit was relatively new, started by Davis aftershe cameto Memphis from Durham, North Carolina, where she also served as police chief.

In total, 13 officers from the Memphis Police Department were investigated in the Tyre Nichols case. Seven were fired, three were suspended and two had their internal charges dismissed. One officer retired, but the recommendation for that person was termination.

Four employees from the Memphis Fire Department were also charged. Two emergency medical technicians — Robert Long and JaMichael Sandridge — along with Lt. Michelle Whitaker were fired Jan. 30. The fourth MFD staffer received a suspension and remedial training.

What happens next?

It is very likely to take at least another year for the trial, or trials, of all five charged officers. Like many places, Shelby County criminal court proceedings ground to a halt during the first year of the COVID-10 pandemic. This initiated a backlog of cases, which the court system is still working through.

While the trials are pending, multiple investigations are either ongoing, or have been requested.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have jointly initiated an investigation into the conduct of the five former officers for civil rights violations.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is still conducting its independent investigation into the officers' actions that led to Nichols' death.

In addition to those ongoing investigations, a group of elected officials has called upon the DOJ to conduct a "pattern-or-practice" investigation that would examine internal policies and procedures of Memphis police.

Micaela Watts is a reporter covering issues tied to access and equity for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at micaela.watts@commercialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What did Memphis police do to Tyre Nichols and what happens next?