Tyre Nichols - news: Poll shows declining trust in police as 20 hours of body camera video missing

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Up to 20 hours of additional footage from the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols by a group of Memphis Police Department officers has yet to be released, according to a law enforcement official in Tennessee.

One day after his funeral in Memphis, President Joe Biden met with leaders from the Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday to discuss next steps as the White House is once again faced with an urgent demand for police reform after Nichols death three days after his brutal beating by a group of Memphis officers.

“The discussion focused on important reforms that have already been implemented as a result of the President’s action, including the banning of chokeholds, restricting no-knock warrants, and requiring the use of body cameras at the federal level, and what more needs to be done by Congress,” the White House shared in a statement after the meeting.

During the service at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, Nichols’ family, civil rights leaders, and Vice President Kamala Harris all led calls for police reform and urged Congress to take action by finally passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Key points

  • Up to 20 hours of video yet to be released

  • Why America’s skateboarders are riding for Tyre Nichols

  • What the Tyre Nichols footage shows

  • Mourners demand police reform at funeral for Tyre Nichols

  • Four of five police officers charged with murder had previous infractions

Americans’ confidence in police dropped after Tyre Nichols beating

20:02 , Josh Marcus

Public trust in the police continues to plummet, according to a new poll, after a large group of officers in Memphis were recorded severely beating Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop last month.

When asked this month whether police were adequately trained to avoid excessive uses of force, 60 per cent of respondents to a Washington Post-ABC poll said they were not “very” or “somewhat” confident, while only 39 per cent answered in the affirmative.

A similar dynamic played out on the matter of race, with 57 per cent saying they weren’t confident police treated Black and white people equally.

Both of these markers represent further declines in public trust in police since the 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.

More details in our full story.

Americans’ confidence in police dropped after Tyre Nichols beating

Cory Booker mum on police reform ‘conversations’ as Congressional Black Caucus meets with Biden to seek a deal

19:00 , Alex Woodward

Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey is staying tight-lipped about any efforts on policing reform in light of the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, as President Joe Biden meets with the Congressional Black Caucus to discuss the topic.

Mr Booker, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, had been the lead negotiator for the Democratic side for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the previous Congress. But his negotiations with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican senator, ultimately fell through.

“I don’t want to say (anything) about the momentum shift, but I will say that this is a horrific, yet another horrific act of violence committed by people wearing uniforms and police officers,” he said of the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. “It’s tragic and gruesome and awful.”

Booker mum on ‘conversations’ around police reform as Black Caucus meets with Biden

Memorial skateboard rides will ‘keep pushing for Tyre'

18:00 , Alex Woodward

Skateboarders across the country are holding a series of skateboarding events and rides in honour of Tyre Nichols on Saturday, with support from professional legends like Stevie Williams, a massively influential Black skateboarder who has called on skateboarders around the world to “ride in unity” in Nichols’ memory.

The rides will “celebrate his spirit, life and love,” Mr Williams wrote on his Instagram. “The entire world is angry and they have every right to be. We are not asking people not to protest, however, we want to make sure that Tyre’s life is remembered for what it was, not for how it tragically ended.”

Skateboarders to hold memorial rides on Saturday across the US

17:15 , Alex Woodward

On 4 February, skateboarders across the country will ride in honour of Tyre Nichols, an avid skateboarder remembered for endless his kindness, encouragement and support for younger riders and other skaters in his communities.

His death has hit skateboarding communities, particularly among Black skateboarders, especially hard; skateparks have turned into places of mourning for the tight-knit but welcoming groups whose passion is built on trust in their ability to pull off the impossible, and who view urban landscapes for their endless possibilities despite police harassment towards a sport and lifestyle seen as a nuisance to polite society.

A series of group rides to “Keep Pushing for Tyre” will begin in two cities whose skate communities helped shaped him as a teenager and young man.

In Memphis, skateboarders will ride from the National Civil Rights Museum.

In Sacramento, California, a local skate shop will host a memorial skate session.

And in Nashville, skateboarders are invited to attend a vigil at Public Square Park before a group ride.

The rides will “celebrate his spirit, life and love,” according to professional skateboarder Steve Williams, who paid tribute to Nichols on his Instagram. “The entire world is angry and they have every right to be. We are not asking people not to protest, however, we want to make sure that Tyre’s life is remembered for what it was, not for how it tragically ended.”

Why America’s skateboarders are riding for Tyre Nichols

What Biden and Black lawmakers discussed at police reform meeting one day after Nichols funeral

17:00 , Alex Woodward

 (AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)

One day after a Memphis funeral for Tyre Nichols, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus – including senators Raphael Warnock and Cory Booker – to discuss “shared priorities, including the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and the path forward on police reform in Congress,” according to a statement from the White House.

It is not the first time that the group convened in the Oval Office on the issue.

The legislation named in honour of George Floyd passed the House of Representatives in 2021 but has stalled in a deadlocked Senate under Republican opposition, despite bipartisan negotiations and a working group with the White House to ensure its passage. The president initially gave Congress a deadline to pass the bill on the one-year anniversary of Floyd’s murder, but negotiations stalled and the bill was effectively dead.

In their meeting on Thursday, the group’s discussion covered executive actions taken up by the president in the wake of those stalled efforts, “including the banning of chokeholds, restricting no-knock warrants, and requiring the use of body cameras at the federal level” but underscored that “no executive action can substitute for federal legislation, and the necessary changes at the state and local level will require Congress to act.” “President Biden and Vice President Harris remain committed to doing everything in their power to achieve meaningful police reform in Congress,” according to a White House statement on the meeting.

Why America’s skateboarders are riding for Tyre Nichols

16:25 , Megan Sheets

A one-minute and 44-second montage of Tyre Nichols on his skateboard has been shared thousands of times following the publication of brutal footage of a group of Memphis Police Department officers fatally beating him in early January. Nichols, 29, died three days later, on 10 January.

As his friends and family mourn, and as the nation recovers from the shock of another act of violence against a Black American by police officers, his skateboarding videos have taken on a new life, capturing a joy and expression that resonates with skateboarding communities across the US.

“His videos are playing everywhere,” Jermone Neal, an avid skateboarder and one of Nichols’ childhood friends, told The Independent. “Tony Hawk shared his video. Stevie Williams shared his video, bro. If Tyre is seeing that, bro, he’s going crazy. Seeing his idols watching his video? He would be screaming right now. I’m so glad we have them.”

Alex Woodward reports:

Why America’s skateboarders are riding for Tyre Nichols

Are officials ‘shielding’ a white officer in the Tyre Nichols case?

13:00 , Josh Marcus

The only known white officer involved in the brutal beating and subsequent death of Tyre Nichols was “shielded and protected” by Memphis Police Department, attorneys for the family said.

Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, lawyers who are defending the Nichols family, denounced the Memphis police for allegedly giving special treatment to a white official by placing him on leave despite his involvement.

“The news today from Memphis officials that officer Preston Hemphill was reportedly relieved of duty weeks ago, but not yet terminated or charged is extremely disappointing,” they said in a joint statement.

The Memphis Police Department announced that a seventh officer – Preston Hemphill – was being put on administrative leave “pending the outcome of the investigation”.

Shweta Sharma reports.

Memphis police accused of ‘shielding’ white officer involved in Tyre Nichols beating

EXPLAINER: What the Tyre Nichols footage shows

12:00 , Josh Marcus

The release of footage of the fatal assault of Tyre Nichols graphically depicted the prolonged and savage fatal beating that was meted out by five Memphis Police Department officers.

But questions persist that the edited footage failed to answer, most notably the claimed traffic violation that had led officers to pull Nichols over in the first place, and what caused the officers to respond so violently.

The four videos from the officers’ bodyworn cameras and CCTV were taken between 8.24pm and 9.20pm on 7 January. It shows the 29-year-old FedEx worker being pulled over, dragged from his car, pepper sprayed and beaten during a traffic stop.

They are taken from two locations, the corner where Nichols was initially pulled over near the intersection of East Raines and Ross Rds, and about a half a mile away at Castlegate Lane where he is beaten with punches, kicks and baton strikes, and pepper sprayed.

Bevan Hurley has the story.

Four videos, 56 minutes, one deadly arrest: What the Tyre Nichols footage shows

Video: Tyre Nichols’ mother speaks of ‘unimaginable’ pain of losing son

11:00 , Josh Marcus

Tyre Nichols‘ mother expressed some of the “unimaginable” pain she is going through as she spoke at his funeral in Memphis.

“Tyre was a beautiful person, and for this to happen to him is just unimaginable,” RowVaughn Wells said at the pulpit.

In her emotional speech, she said: “I promise you, the only thing that’s keeping me going is the fact that I really truly believe my son was sent here on an assignment from God.

“I guess now his assignment is done, he’s been taken home.”

US vice president Kamala Harris was among those in attendance.

Tyre Nichols’ mother speaks of ‘unimaginable’ pain of losing son

ICYMI: Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols as family calls on Congress to combat police violence

10:00 , Josh Marcus

Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the life of Tyre Nichols on Wednesday evening in a ceremony inside a Mississippi Boulevard Baptist Church in Memphis.

The 29-year-old Black man was fatally beaten by a group of Memphis Police Department officers last month, and horrific footage of the incident released last week has revived an urgent demand for reform.

Reflecting on the far-reaching shock of his death, those in attendance at his funeral included vice president Kamala Harris, filmmaker Spike Lee and members of Congress, with a eulogy from the Rev Al Sharpton. There was also a “call to action” from civil rights attorney Ben Crump demanding “swift justice” against police who commit violence against Black Americans.

In their remarks, faith leaders struck a delicate balance, urging support for a grieving family while reflecting on the sadness and anger of a nation just days after witnessing yet another attack against a Black American by police.

Alex Woodward has the details.

Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols

Kamala Harris lends her voice to police reform debate

09:00 , Josh Marcus

Vice President Kamala Harris addressed a congregation in Memphis gathered for a funeral service for Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who was fatally beaten by a group of Memphis Police Department officers.

The vice president was among several members of President Joe Biden’s administration attending the service at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church on 1 February.

“You have been extraordinary,” she said of Nichols’s mother RowVaughn Wells and stepfather Rodney Wells.

“We have a mother and a father who mourn the life of a young man who should be here today,” she continued. “They have a grandson who now does not have a father. His brothers and sisters will lose the love of growing old with their baby brother.”

Alex Woodward reports.

Kamala Harris calls on Congress to pass police reform bill at Tyre Nichols funeral

What’s next for the Biden policing agenda?

07:59 , Josh Marcus

When Vice President Kamala Harris was called to the pulpit at the funeral for Tyre Nichols, she said the White House would settle for nothing less than ambitious federal legislation to crack down on police brutality.

“We should not delay. And we will not be denied,” Harris said to applause in Memphis, Tennessee. “It is non-negotiable.”

Back in Washington, however, progress appears difficult, if not unlikely. Bipartisan efforts to reach an agreement on policing legislation stalled more than a year ago, and President Joe Biden ended up instead signing an executive order named for George Floyd, whose murder at the hands of Minneapolis police set off nationwide protests nearly three years ago.

Now, with a new killing in the headlines, Biden and Harris will meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday to explore whether it’s possible to get legislation back on track.

Chris Megerian and Farnoush Amiri report.

After Tyre Nichols funeral, Biden faces pressure on policing

At Nichols' funeral, Black America's grief on public display

07:00 , Josh Marcus

The sound of the djembe drums started as a low tremble and grew more distinct as the musicians drew closer to the hundreds gathered inside the Memphis church.

“We love you, Tyre,” the drummers chanted, referring to Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man whose beating by five police officers led to his death and this funeral on the first day of Black History Month.

By the time the procession reached Nichols’ black casket draped in a large white bouquet, the congregation in the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church was on its feet shouting the chant in unison. Some raised clenched fists. Others let out screams of grief. Many grabbed tissues to dab at tears. All of it streamed live on television.

The funeral on Wednesday had all the hallmarks of what’s known as a homegoing service in Black American communities: comforting gospel hymns, remembrances from loved ones and a stirring eulogy from a clergyman.

More from Aaron Morrison.

ICYMI: What was Tyre Nichols pulled over for?

06:00 , Josh Marcus

On 27 January, Memphis officials released video footage of the violent arrest of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who died three days after being severely beaten during a traffic stop.

The young man’s death has caused deep pain for the Nichols family, and has sparked a city-wide scandal.

Five Memphis Police Department officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr, and Justin Smith – were fired from the department and now face second-degree murder charges.

Vice President Kamala Harris and members of Congress attended his funeral on 1 February, where the Rev Al Sharpton delivered a eulogy. Members of Nichols’ family are slated to attend President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address as guests of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Body-worn camera footage shows officers dragging Nichols from his car and firing a taser weapon at him before he fled the scene on foot.

More details in our full story.

What was Tyre Nichols pulled over for?

Will Biden address Tyre Nichols killing in State of the Union speech?

05:00 , Josh Marcus

Among the key areas that President Biden underdelivered, due to roadblocks from Republicans and Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), is racial justice.

It will be interesting to see if Biden reiterates his intention to pass voting rights legislation. And now, given the depraved killings of Tyre Nichols by Memphis police, will Biden renew calls for police reform?

Read Ahmed Baba’s full story for Independent Voices.

Why this year’s State of the Union will be so different

There’s even more police video of Tyre Nichols arrest

04:00 , Josh Marcus

Up to 20 hours of additional footage from the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols by a group of Memphis Police Department officers has yet to be released, according to a law enforcement official in Tennessee.

Unreleased footage from the attack on 7 January includes audio of what was said among emergency responders and officers in the aftermath of the beating and after Nichols was moved to a local hospital, Shelby County prosecutor Steven Mulroy told CNN.

Nichols died in hospital on 10 January, three days after the attack.

It will be up to Memphis officials to determine whether to publicly release any additional footage, following the release of roughly one hour of footage from four separate videos on 27 January.

That footage from officers’ body-worn cameras and a police surveillance camera pole constitute “the relevant parts” of the initial traffic stop and the beating at a second location, according to Mr Mulroy.

Alex Woodward is on the story.

Up to 20 hours of Tyre Nichols police video has yet to be released

Skateboarding community rallies behind Tyre Nichols

03:00 , Josh Marcus

warm orange glow surrounds a then-17-year-old Tyre Nichols as he glides on a ramp. On his skateboard, he floats across smooth concrete, jumps on a box and slides on a flat rail. In another clip, he stumbles on a concrete bar while performing a trick, then picks himself up and tries it again.

He appears airless as a camera follows him cruising on his board and rolling across wide pavement. For one brief moment, he looks as if he is suspended in air, flipping on his board as he jumps a set of stairs in slow motion.

A one-minute and 44-second montage of Nichols on his skateboard has been shared thousands of times following the publication of brutal footage of a group of Memphis Police Department officers fatally beating him in early January. Nichols, 29, died three days later, on 10 January.

As his friends and family mourn, and as the nation recovers from the shock of another act of violence against a Black American by police officers, his skateboarding videos have taken on a new life, capturing a joy and expression that resonates with skateboarding communities across the US.

Alex Woodward has the story.

Why America’s skateboarders are riding for Tyre Nichols

Library shooting marks latest Memphis police incident

02:00 , Josh Marcus

One person was killed and an officer was left seriously injured at a library in East Memphis, according to the Memphis Police Department.

The shooting comes as the city’s police department has been in turmoil since the killing of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old Black man who officers beat for three minutes following a traffic stop on January 7. Mr Nichols died in the hospital three days later, with his death sparking protests in the city and across the country.

The shooting at the Poplar-White Station Library took place shortly after officers responded to a call at the library around 12:30 pm, according to a statement shared on social media by the police department. The person who was shot was pronounced dead at the scene while the police officer was transported to the hospital.

Abe Asher reports.

Another shocking case of police violence

01:00 , Josh Marcus

The family of Anthony Lowe, a Black man and double amputee who was fatally shot last week by Los Angeles area police, intends to sue the city of Huntington Park for civil rights violations.

“They’re trained to respond in a certain manner when someone has a disability,” Christian Contreras, an attorney for the Lowe family, told The Independent. “We have law, state and federal, which prevents this kind of abuse.”

On 26 January, Huntington Park police responded to a call that a man in a wheelchair had stabbed someone. Multiple officers arrived to find Lowe holding a knife.

Partial bystander video, which contains graphic images, captures Lowe appearing to flee, exiting his wheelchair and crawling along the ground, before police shot him multiple times.

More details in our full report.

Anthony Lowe: Family brings suit for ‘unacceptable’ police killing of double amputee

Marjorie Taylor Greene equates police killing of Tyre Nichols with shooting of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt

00:41 , Josh Marcus

Marjorie Taylor Greene made a shaky comparison between the killings of Tyre Nichols and Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt which sickened many on social media this week in the wake of video being released depicting the unarmed motorist’s brutal killing by a gang of police officers.

Speaking during a committee hearing, the Georgia congresswoman went on an extended tangent about Ms Babbitt being “murdered” by police.

Noting that Ms Babbitt’s mother was in attendance, Ms Greene went on to say that Congress was doing nothing to address the treatment of other participants in the attack, many of whom remain incarcerated ahead of their respective trials.

“There has never been a trial. In fact, no one has cared about the person who shot and killed her,” Ms Greene argued.

John Bowden reports.

Teen describes aggressive treatment from SCORPION Unit that arrested Tyre Nichols

Thursday 2 February 2023 23:56 , Josh Marcus

A teenager said the infamous SCORPION Unit whose officers killed Tyre Nichols subjected him to violent treatment as well.

Maurice Chalmers-Stokes, 19, told WREG that in October, members of the now-disbanded unit in ski masks and unmarked cars suddenly attacked him without warning.

“They hopped out and bum-rushed me. They was like, ‘Let me check your backpack. Don’t try to run,’” Chalmers-Stokes said.

Four of the officers involved in the encounter – Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Tadarrius Bean, and Preston Hemphill – have since been charged with murder in the Nichols case.

What Kamala Harris said at Tyre Nichols’s funeral

Thursday 2 February 2023 23:05 , Josh Marcus

Vice President Kamala Harris addressed a congregation in Memphis gathered for a funeral service for Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who was fatally beaten by a group of Memphis Police Department officers.

The vice president was among several members of President Joe Biden’s administration attending the service at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church on 1 February.

“You have been extraordinary,” she said of Nichols’s mother RowVaughn Wells and stepfather Rodney Wells.

“We have a mother and a father who mourn the life of a young man who should be here today,” she continued. “They have a grandson who now does not have a father. His brothers and sisters will lose the love of growing old with their baby brother.”

Alex Woodward has the whole story.

Kamala Harris calls on Congress to pass police reform bill at Tyre Nichols funeral

Four of five officers charged in death of Tyre Nichols had past disciplinary records

Thursday 2 February 2023 22:42 , Josh Marcus

Four of the five officers charged with murder in the death of Tyre Nichols had past records of disciplinary actions for use of force and other violations.

According to the personnel files of the officers, obtained by Memphis’s ABC 24 news station, the former officers were penalised for failing to file police reports, leaving a loaded gun in a squad car, dislocating a woman’s shoulder during an arrest, crashing into a stop sign, causing a car accident, and damaging department electronics.

Fraternity revokes membership of officers involved in Tyre Nichols killing

Thursday 2 February 2023 22:21 , Josh Marcus

The Omega Psi Phi fraternity, one of the country’s most prominent Black university fraternities, has revoked the membership of three former members for their role in the police killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis earlier this month.

“A few days ago, on behalf of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, we joined with all other caring, thoughtful, decent, and fair-minded people in America and around the world in extending our deepest sympathy to the family of Tyre Nichols,” the fraternity said in a statement. “We have since learned that three of the former Memphis police officers involved in the horrific incident were members of our organization.”

Tadarrius Bean, one of the officers charged with Nichols’s murder, was the fraternity’s chapter president during his time at the University of Mississippi.

Memphis police admit they had ‘no proof’ to pull Tyre Nichols over

Thursday 2 February 2023 21:42 , Josh Marcus

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis says there was “no proof” that Tyre Nichols had been driving recklessly prior to his arrest and fatal beating by five officers.

Ms Davis told CNN that the department had reviewed all available video footage and found there was no probable cause to warrant Nichols’ arrest.

Nichols, 29, was pulled over on 7 January for alleged reckless driving by members of the city’s police department.

Police have previously said that a “confrontation” occurred as they approached Nichols’ vehicle, and he fled on foot. He was taken into custody after a second “confrontation”, during which he received critical injuries.

Bevan Hurley reports.

How to support the family of Tyre Nichols

Thursday 2 February 2023 21:20 , Josh Marcus

A fundraiser created by the mother of Tyre Nichols has raised more than $1m for the family in the wake of his death.

“My husband and I have had our entire world turned upside down by what happened to our son,” RowVaughn Wells wrote in the description of a GoFundMe page raising funds for the family.

“We are two hardworking, loving parents, [and] now have to turn our full-time attention to seeking proper justice for our son,” she added. “We have yet to have the proper space to begin our grieving process, which will be long and burdensome.”

The fundraiser will help cover the costs of mental health services and time off work, where they do not have unlimited paid time off, she said.

Alex Woodward reports.

How to support the family of Tyre Nichols

Why America’s skateboarders are riding for Tyre Nichols

Thursday 2 February 2023 21:00 , Josh Marcus

A warm orange glow surrounds a then-17-year-old Tyre Nichols as he glides on a ramp. On his skateboard, he floats across smooth concrete, jumps on a box and slides on a flat rail. In another clip, he stumbles on a concrete bar while performing a trick, then picks himself up and tries it again.

He appears airless as a camera follows him cruising on his board and rolling across wide pavement. For one brief moment, he looks as if he is suspended in air, flipping on his board as he jumps a set of stairs in slow motion.

A one-minute and 44-second montage of Nichols on his skateboard has been shared thousands of times following the publication of brutal footage of a group of Memphis Police Department officers fatally beating him in early January. Nichols, 29, died three days later, on 10 January.

As his friends and family mourn, and as the nation recovers from the shock of another act of violence against a Black American by police officers, his skateboarding videos have taken on a new life, capturing a joy and expression that resonates with skateboarding communities across the US.

Alex Woodward reports.

Why America’s skateboarders are riding for Tyre Nichols

Is it relevant to focus on the race of the officers who killed Tyre Nichols?

Thursday 2 February 2023 20:40 , Josh Marcus

The police officers who killed Nichols are Black, which has prompted many people - particularly online - to attempt to counter the idea that his death is linked to systemic racism and police brutality in the law enforcement system.

Not only is this a simplistic and illogical argument, but it’s one meant to distract us from our fight.

The fight against police brutality has never just been about white cops or racist cops. It’s about how the entire system encourages all those who join it - no matter what their own racial background - to dehumanize and target people of color.

Read Nylah Burton’s full commentary for Independent Voices.

Stop focusing on race in Tyre Nichols’ death

How many officers have been fired and charged over Tyre Nichols killing?

Thursday 2 February 2023 20:25 , Josh Marcus

The Memphis Police Department announced on Monday that a sixth officer has been suspended in connection to the brutal police beating of Tyre Nichols that preceded his death.

Preston Hemphill, the officer who was suspended, joins another five officers who were fired from the force for their alleged involvement in Mr Nichols’ injuries.

The five officers involved — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith — were fired on 20 January and have since been charged with second-degree murder.

Each of the five officers who were fired were part of the now-defunct SCORPION unit, which was created to address serious crime, but has since been “permanently deactivated”, according to the police department.

Graig Graziosi has the details.

Everything we know about the seven officers disciplined in Tyre Nichols beating

Four videos, 56 minutes, seven Memphis police officers, one deadly arrest: What the Tyre Nichols footage shows

Thursday 2 February 2023 20:05 , Josh Marcus

The release of footage of the fatal assault of Tyre Nichols graphically depicted the prolonged and savage fatal beating that was meted out by five Memphis Police Department officers.

But questions persist that the edited footage failed to answer, most notably the claimed traffic violation that had led officers to pull Nichols over in the first place, and what caused the officers to respond so violently.

The four videos from the officers’ bodyworn cameras and CCTV were taken between 8.24pm and 9.20pm on 7 January. It shows the 29-year-old FedEx worker being pulled over, dragged from his car, pepper sprayed and beaten during a traffic stop.

They are taken from two locations, the corner where Nichols was initially pulled over near the intersection of East Raines and Ross Rds, and about a half a mile away at Castlegate Lane where he is beaten with punches, kicks and baton strikes, and pepper sprayed.

Bevan Hurley reports.

Four videos, 56 minutes, one deadly arrest: What the Tyre Nichols footage shows

Memphis police report contradicts violence shown on bodycam video

Thursday 2 February 2023 19:44 , Josh Marcus

A report from the Memphis Police Department paints a very different picture of the stop where officers violently arrested Tyre Nichols.

In the document, which was obtained by NBC News and is not yet public, officers described Nichols as violently resisting arrest, while neglecting to mention how officers punched, kicked, and tased him repeatedly even though he was unarmed and appeared to be complying with their commands.

“Suspect Tyre Nichols was refusing a lawful detention by a law enforcement officers and he started to fight with detectives. Detectives noticed that the suspect Tyre Nichols was sweating profusely and irate when he exited the vehicle," the report reads. "Detectives gave verbal commands to stop resisting and then the suspect Tyre Nichols grabbed for Detective Martin’s gun."

The report is the latest sign that the official police narrative of events deserves scrutiny.

Officials have previously admitted their initial claims that Nichols was driving recklessly had “no proof.”

Memphis police chief says there’s ‘no proof’ of Tyre Nichols reckless driving claim

Is Biden doing enough to reform the police

Thursday 2 February 2023 19:15 , Josh Marcus

Observers and experts say Joe Biden has only been a half-hearted ally when it comes to reforming the police and advancing racial justice.

Here’s our in-depth look at whether the president is doing enough.

Why Joe Biden has been a ‘consistently inconsistent’ ally for civil rights so far

Another shocking case of police violence, caught on video

Thursday 2 February 2023 18:50 , Josh Marcus

As Memphis was reeling from the Tyre Nichols case, another instance of police violence was caught on camera in California.

Last week, police in Huntington Park, California, shot and killed Anthony Lowe, Jr, a double amputee, as he left his wheelchair and tried to flee.

Abe Asher had this report on the case.

Man missing both legs dies after cops shot him at least eight times

Up to 20 hours of Tyre Nichols police video has yet to be released, revealing what was said after beating

Thursday 2 February 2023 18:24 , Josh Marcus

Up to 20 hours of additional footage from the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols by a group of Memphis Police Department officers has yet to be released, according to a law enforcement official in Tennessee.

Unreleased footage from the attack on 7 January includes audio of what was said among emergency responders and officers in the aftermath of the beating and after Nichols was moved to a local hospital, Shelby County prosecutor Steven Mulroy told CNN.

Nichols died in hospital on 10 January, three days after the attack.

It will be up to Memphis officials to determine whether to publicly release any additional footage, following the release of roughly one hour of footage from four separate videos on 27 January.

Alex Woodward reports.

The video at the heart of the Tyre Nichols scandal

Thursday 2 February 2023 17:53 , Josh Marcus

Like police scandals that have come before it, officer bodycam video is a central part of illuminating what happened to Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who was severly beaten by Memphis police officers earlier this month before dying in hospital.

Memphis police have released footage of the brutal arrest, which shows a gang of officers punching, tasing, and kicking the 29-year-old until he’s barely conscious.

Here’s our report on what the footage reveals.

Footage reveals Tyre Nichols six-word plea to Memphis police officers

What was Tyre Nichols pulled over for?

Thursday 2 February 2023 17:30 , Josh Marcus

On 27 January, Memphis officials released video footage of the violent arrest of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who died three days after being severely beaten during a traffic stop.

The young man’s death has caused deep pain for the Nichols family, and has sparked a city-wide scandal.

Five Memphis Police Department officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr, and Justin Smith – were fired from the department and now face second-degree murder charges.

Vice President Kamala Harris and members of Congress attended his funeral on 1 February, where the Rev Al Sharpton delivered a eulogy. Members of Nichols’ family are slated to attend President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address as guests of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Body-worn camera footage shows officers dragging Nichols from his car and firing a taser weapon at him before he fled the scene on foot.

Here’s what we know about why he was stopped.

What was Tyre Nichols pulled over for?

President Biden addresses Tyre Nichols death at National Prayer Breakfast in call for unity

Thursday 2 February 2023 17:00 , Alex Woodward

 (REUTERS)
(REUTERS)

At the bipartisan National Prayer Breakfast event in Washington DC on Thursday morning, President Joe Biden condemned the “violence in our communities,” pointing to recent mass shootings in California and the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis.

“Justice is long overdue,” he said. In his remarks, the president said that “in our politics and our lives, we too often see each other as opponents and not competitors.”

“We see each other as enemies, not neighbors. And as tough as these times have been, if we look closer, we see the strength, the determination that has long defined America,” he added.

The president, invoking his “soul of the nation” theme that he has threaded throughout his campaign and administration, said that his prayer for the event that the nation begins “to see each other again, look at each other again, travel with each other again, argue like hell with each other again but then still go to lunch together.”

“We have to start treating each other in ways different than we have, in my humble opinion,” he said.

‘Why can’t they see the humanity in Tyre?'

Thursday 2 February 2023 16:01 , Alex Woodward

A program for his funeral – a Celebration of Life for Tyre Nichols – said that he “loved skateboarding, watching the sunset, photography and most of all helping people”.

“He had the most infectious smile,” it said.

It prominently features a quote that was on his photography website: “My vision is to bring my viewers deep into what I am seeing through my eye and out through my lens.”

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump issued a plea for justice for Nichols as both a son to grieving parents and father to a 4-year-old boy. “But most of all, the human being”, he said.

Video footage of police officers beating Nichols did not include “one ounce of humanity”, Mr Crump said.

“Why can’t they see the humanity in Tyre?” he asked.

More from the funeral service on Wednesday:

Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols

ICYMI: Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints, records reveal

Thursday 2 February 2023 15:30 , Alex Woodward

Four of the five former Memphis Police Department officers charged for the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols were suspended or reprimanded in prior incidents while working for the department, according to recently unveiled personnel files.

Two of the officers were written up after failing to fill out required reports about the use of force during arrests. Two other officers were suspended without pay for traffic accidents, and one of those officers was suspended for failing to file a report about an incident of domestic abuse.

The officers faced little if any consequences, according to reviews of the officers’ records, and they were praised in at least two instances, with other officers describing their actions as one-time events.

Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to meet with Congressional Black Caucus on police reform

Thursday 2 February 2023 14:50 , Alex Woodward

One day after the funeral of Tyre Nichols, as mourners demanded Congress take action on national police reform legislation, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with members of Congress on Thursday afternoon to discuss their options.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday that the meeting with members of the Congressional Black Caucus will be a “real conversation about police reform” but she did not detail a path forward or potential executive actions if a Republican-controlled House and deadlocked Senate fails to advance a bill.

In a statement on 29 January, caucus chair Steven Horsford said that members are “calling on our colleagues in the House and Senate to jumpstart negotiations now and work with us to address the public health epidemic of police violence that disproportionately affects many of our communities.”

“The brutal beating of Tyre Nichols was murder and is a grim reminder that we still have a long way to go in solving systemic police violence in America,” he added.

President Biden intially gave Congress a deadline to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in 2021 on the one-year anniversary of that man’s death.

The White House also quietly abandoned plans that year for a national commission on police oversight to focus on the legislation. In April of 2021, Domestic Policy Council director Susan Rice said a commission would not be the “most effective way” to implement those reforms, based on “close, respectful consultation” with civil rights groups.

WATCH: Tyre Nichols’ godsister reads heartbreaking poem at funeral

Thursday 2 February 2023 14:00 , Rachel Sharp

At Tyre Nichols’ funeral on Wednesday, his godsister LaToya Yizar read out a heartbreaking poem echoing some of the final words of the 29-year-old Black man as he told officers: “I’m just trying to go home.”

Watch the touching moment below:

Initial Memphis police report falsely claims Tyre Nichols ‘fought’ officers

Thursday 2 February 2023 13:30 , Rachel Sharp

A leaked incident report on Tyre Nichols’ arrest and fatal beating by Memphis police officers contains glaring inaccuracies that were later exposed after the release of bodycam and surveillance footage.

The report, written two hours after Nichols’ beating on 7 January, claimed that the 29-year-old was “irate” and refused lawful detention, tried to start a fight with officers, and also attempted to take an officer’s gun, during an initial traffic stop.

Video evidence released on 27 January told a very different story, showing officers swarming Nichols’ car and dragging him out, shouting contradictory commands and using pepper spray and a taser on him while he was trying to comply.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has the full story:

Initial Memphis police report falsely claims Tyre Nichols ‘fought’ officers

Today: Biden to meet with Congressional Black Caucus on police reform

Thursday 2 February 2023 13:00 , Alex Woodward

President Joe Biden will meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday to have a “real conversation about police reform,” according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

She told reporters at a press briefing on Wednesday that the administration will continue to push for congressional passage of the bill, which passed in the formerly Democratically controlled House of Representatives in 2021 but stalled in the Senate.

Ms Jean-Pierre did address whether the White House would consider executive actions.

Unanswered questions from the Tyre Nichols’ footage

Thursday 2 February 2023 12:30 , Rachel Sharp

Horrifying footage of the brutal and deadly beating of a Black man at the hands of law enforcement officers in Memphis has caused outrage across America and reignited demands for an overhaul of policing as we now know it.

Tyre Nichols, 29, was pulled over for a traffic stop on the night of 7 June.

He died three days later in hospital, with an independent autopsy by Nichols’ family finding that he suffered “extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating”.

Damning footage – taken from the police officers’ bodyworn cameras and a police pole camera – was finally released to the public on Friday.

It shows a group of Memphis police officers punching, kicking and tasering Nichols and beating him with batons.

The 29-year-old is then left slumped up against a police car – limp, disorientated and struggling to sit upright from his injuries.

One of the most chilling parts of the footage captures the officers laughing and boasting about the beating they rained down on the Black man, with one officer heard saying he was “hitting him with straight haymakers, dog”.

Before paramedics arrive on the scene sometime later and take him to hospital, the officers fail to administer him any medical aid.

The deadly beating – coming almost three years on from the murder of George Floyd and echoing the police beating of Rodney King three decades earlier – led to protests across America over the weekend demanding justice and an end to police brutality.

The five Memphis Police officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr, and Justin Smith – were fired by department and charged with second-degree murder.

On Monday, two other officers were also relieved of their duties while three Memphis Fire Department officials – two emergency reponders and a lieutenant – were fired.

Footage captured Tyre Nichols being beaten by Memphis police officers

However, the hour-long footage has still left several questions still unanswered.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reveals what we still don’t know:

These questions remain unanswered after video exposed police beating Tyre Nichols

Four videos, 56 minutes, seven Memphis police officers, one deadly arrest

Thursday 2 February 2023 12:00 , Alex Woodward

Nearly an hour of footage showing Memphis police officers pepper spray, baton, punch, kick and tase Tyre Nichols helped bring swift murder charges against the officers involved in the attack. The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains what was captured in four videos and what questions remain about the case after their release:

Four videos, 56 minutes, one deadly arrest: What the Tyre Nichols footage shows

After Tyre Nichols funeral, Biden faces pressure on policing

Thursday 2 February 2023 11:30 , Rachel Sharp

When Vice President Kamala Harris was called to the pulpit at the funeral for Tyre Nichols, she said the White House would settle for nothing less than ambitious federal legislation to crack down on police brutality.

“We should not delay. And we will not be denied,” Harris said to applause in Memphis, Tennessee. “It is non-negotiable.”

Back in Washington, however, progress appears difficult, if not unlikely. Bipartisan efforts to reach an agreement on policing legislation stalled more than a year ago, and President Joe Biden ended up instead signing an executive order named for George Floyd, whose murder at the hands of Minneapolis police set off nationwide protests nearly three years ago.

Now, with a new killing in the headlines, Biden and Harris will meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday to explore whether it’s possible to get legislation back on track.

After Tyre Nichols funeral, Biden faces pressure on policing

Watch: Al Sharpton calls Tyre Nichols’s attackers ‘punks’ in eulogy

Thursday 2 February 2023 11:00 , Alex Woodward

Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols as family calls on Congress to combat police violence

Thursday 2 February 2023 10:30 , Rachel Sharp

In their remarks, faith leaders struck a delicate balance urging support for a grieving family while reflecting the sadness and anger of a nation days after witnessing yet another attack against a Black American by police.

His family “endured the unsolicited .... and unjustifiable burden of grieving their loved one and at the same time demanding justice,” senior pastor J Lawrence Turner said.

“We’re praying for you that God will continue to give you strength, because your strength has held us steady, and helped us constructively channel our outrage and turn our anger into action,” he added.

Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols

Up to 20 hours of video involving arrest yet to be released

Thursday 2 February 2023 10:00 , Rachel Sharp

Up to 20 hours of video related to Tyre Nichols’ deadly arrest is yet to be released by Memphis officials.

Shelby County prosecutor Steven Mulroy told CNN on Wednesday that the footage includes audio of what officers said in the aftermath of the fatal beating and after Nichols was rushed by ambulance to hospital – where he never recovered.

To date, 56 minutes of footage has been released to the public as four separate videos.

Three of the videos are from bodycam footage of Memphis police officers, while the fourth is taken from a security camera mounted on a streetpole.

Mr Mulroy said that it falls to the city of Memphis and Memphis police to decide when to share the full footage with the public, as he revealed the prosecutor’s office is considering bringing more charges in the case.

Full story: Kamala Harris speaks at Tyre Nichols funeral in Memphis calling on Congress to pass police reform legislation

Thursday 2 February 2023 09:00 , Alex Woodward

Vice President Kamala Harris urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, bipartisan police reform legislation that passed the House of Representatives in 2021 but stalled in a deadlocked Senate with Republican opposition.

The bill, named in honour of the Black man who was murdered by Minneapolis police officers in 2020, was co-authored by then-Senator Harris.

“Let the memory of Tyre shine a light on the path toward peace and justice,” Ms Harris said in her brief remarks.

Kamala Harris calls on Congress to pass police reform bill at Tyre Nichols funeral

‘We mourn with you’: Kamala Harris gives passionate speech at Tyre Nichols’s funeral

Thursday 2 February 2023 08:00 , Alex Woodward

Vice President Kamala Harris was invited to attend the funeral of Tyre Nichols by his mother and stepfather, and the Rev Al Sharpton invited her to address the congregation gathered in Memphis on Wednesday.

She told his parents that “the people of our country mourn with you” and praised them for their “strength, courage, and grace”.

‘Blood on their hands’: Tyre Nichols’ mother warns lawmakers against blocking George Floyd bill

Thursday 2 February 2023 07:00 , Alex Woodward

Wednesday’s funeral for Tyre Nichols in Memphis saw a re-energised call for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, federal legislation that was passed by the House of Representatives in 2021 but has otherwise stalled in Congress.

‘The police are not always telling the whole truth'

Thursday 2 February 2023 05:00 , Alex Woodward

“Police are partisan actors just like everyone else in power,” writes The Independent’s Josh Marcus, reflecting on his coverage of policing and criminal justice. “It’s vital to take their claims with a grain of salt.”

Tyre Nichols’ death shows us the police are not always telling the truth | Voices

‘Elite’ police units in spotlight after brutal killing by Scorpion officers

Thursday 2 February 2023 03:00 , Alex Woodward

Memphis Police Department’s now-disbanded SCORPION unit – which stands for “Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods” – was introduced in October 2021. It was dissolved in the aftermath of Tyre Nichols’s death.

The Independent’s Graeme Massie examines several similar controversial units in departments across the US that have been accused of abuse and excessive force.

‘Elite’ police units in spotlight after brutal Tyre Nichols killing by officers

Marjorie Taylor Greene compares Tyre Nichols’ beating to shooting of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt

Thursday 2 February 2023 02:00 , Alex Woodward

Far-right congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene invoked the fatal shooting of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt after the mention of Tyre Nichols, who was fatally beaten by police.

She then suggested that people who have been jailed for their roles in the insurrection are facing “civil rights abuse” in jail.

Ms Greene went on to say that Congress was doing nothing to address the treatment of other participants in the attack, many of whom remain incarcerated ahead of their respective trials.

There’s a simple reason for that: Ms Babbitt was part of a crowd that was actively trying to breach a door that had been barricaded in a restricted area. She was shot by an officer while attempting to climb through a window that her fellow rioters had broken. Federal prosecutors have closed the case and the officer was cleared of wrondoing.

Marjorie Taylor Greene equates police killing of Tyre Nichols with Ashli Babbitt

Initial Memphis police report falsely claims Tyre Nichols ‘fought’ officers

Thursday 2 February 2023 01:00 , Alex Woodward

A leaked incident report on Tyre Nichols’ arrest and fatal beating by Memphis police officers contains glaring inaccuracies that were later exposed after the release of bodycam and surveillance footage.

The report, written two hours after Nichols’ beating on 7 January, claimed that the 29-year-old was “irate” and refused lawful detention, tried to start a fight with officers, and also attempted to take an officer’s gun, during an initial traffic stop.

Initial Memphis police report falsely claims Tyre Nichols ‘fought’ officers

ICYMI: Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints, records reveal

Thursday 2 February 2023 00:00 , Alex Woodward

Four of the five former Memphis Police Department officers charged for the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols were suspended or reprimanded in prior incidents while working for the department, according to recently unveiled personnel files.

The officers faced little if any consequences, according to the city’s records of their cases, and they were praised in at least two instances, with other officers describing their actions as one-time events.

Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints

Watch: Daughter of Rodney King reacts to video of Tyre Nichols

Wednesday 1 February 2023 23:45 , Alex Woodward

‘I’m Just Trying to Go Home'

Wednesday 1 February 2023 22:41 , Alex Woodward

LaToya Yizar, who says her mother was Tyre Nichols’ godmother, read a poem at his funeral invoking the words he told officers the night he was beaten.

From the lectern at Mississippi Boulevard Baptist Church in Memphis, she read “I’m Just Trying to Go Home”.

In his eulogy, the Rev Al Sharpton said that “home is not just a place.”

“Home is where you are at peace. Home is where you don’t have to keep your dukes up. Home is where you’re not vulnerable,” he said. “Home is where everything is all right.”

Full story: Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols as family calls on Congress to combat police violence

Wednesday 1 February 2023 22:30 , Alex Woodward

Soft purple light surrounded a closed casket beneath a wooden cross inside Mississippi Boulevard Baptist Church in Memphis, where hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the life of Tyre Nichols in a ceremony marked by the weight of his loss and a raging fury against police violence.

The 29-year-old Black man was fatally beaten by a group of Memphis Police Department officers in January, and horrific footage of the incident released last week has revived an international, urgent demand for reform.

Reflecting the far-reaching shock of his death, those in attendance at his funeral on 1 February included Vice President Kamala Harris, filmmaker Spike Lee and members of Congress, with a eulogy from the Rev Al Sharpton. There was also a “call to action” from civil rights attorney Ben Crump demanding “swift justice” against police who commit violence against Black Americans.

Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols

Tyre Nichols’s mother and stepfather speak at son’s funeral

Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:59 , Alex Woodward

Vice President Kamala Harris, left, embraces RowVaughn Wells, the mother of Tyre Nichols, at his funeral service on 1 February. (Getty Images)
Vice President Kamala Harris, left, embraces RowVaughn Wells, the mother of Tyre Nichols, at his funeral service on 1 February. (Getty Images)

In her remarks at her son’s funeral, Tyre Nichols’s mother RowVaughn Wells urged members of Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, federal police reform legislation aimed at addressing police misonduct and holding officers accountable for police violence.

“If we don’t, that next child that dies, that blood will be on their hands,” she said through tears.

“We’re looking forward to passing some bills. We’re looking forward to getting justice for all of the families over there, not just ours,” Nichols’s stepfather Rodney Wells said. “We cannot continue to let these people brutalize our kids.”

‘All I want is my baby brother back'

Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:51 , Alex Woodward

Keyana Dixon, the oldest sister of Tyre Nichols, fondly remembered growing up with her younger brother as she addressed a massive congregation gathered for his funeral.

“I see the world showing him love and fighting for his justice, but all I want is my baby brother back,” she said, speaking through tears. “Even in his demise, he was still polite: He asked them to ‘Please stop.’”

Ben Crump issues a ‘plea for justice' in funeral remarks

Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:28 , Alex Woodward

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has represented the families of several Black Americans killed by police, including the family of Tyre Nichols, issued a “plea for justice” during his funeral service.

His plea for justice for Nichols as a son and father “but most of all, the human being.”

Video footage of police officers beating Nichols did not include “not one ounce of humanity,” Mr Crump said.

“Why can’t they see the humanity in Tyre?” he asked.

Watch: Al Sharpton calls Tyre Nichols attackers ‘punks’ during fiery speech at funeral

Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:24 , Alex Woodward

Watch in full: Kamala Harris speaks at the funeral of Tyre Nichols

Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:20 , Alex Woodward

Al Sharpton condemns officers charged in Nichols’s death as he delivers eulogy

Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:20 , Alex Woodward

Rev Al Sharpton condemned the actions of the Black officers who are charged with the murder of Tyre Nichols, arguing that the sacrifies of civil rights leaders like Dr Martin Luther King Jr paved the way for their public service.

“People had to march and go to jail and some people lost their lives to open the doors for you. How dare you act like that sacrifice was for nothing?” he said.

Mr Sharpton visited the Lorraine Motel – where Dr King was killed – the morning before the service.

He invoked Dr King’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech that Dr King delivered from the Mason Temple in Memphis the day before his murder.

“Let us all be mountain climbers,” he said.

Kamala Harris addresses Tyre Nichols funeral

Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:53 , Alex Woodward

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Rev Al Sharpton invited Vice President Kamala Harris to address a congregation at Tyre Nichols’s funeral service.

“You have been extraordinary,” she said of his mother RowVaughn Wells and stepfather Rodney Wells.

“We have a mother and a father who mourn the life of a young man who should be here today. They have a grandson who now does not have a father. His brothers and sisters will lose the love of growing old withtheir baby brother,” she continued.

Nichols died following “an act of violence at the hands and the feet of the people who have been charged with keeping them safe,” she said.

“This violent act was not in pursuit of public safety. It was not in the interest of keeping the public safe,” she continued. “Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe?”

She urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, bipartisan police reform legislation that passed the House of Representatives but stalled in a deadlocked Senate with Republican opposition.

Mother of Black man killed by Houston police officer calls on mothers to ‘stop all of this'

Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:42 , Alex Woodward

Tiffany Rachal, the mother of Jalen Randle, a Black man who was killed by a Houston police officer last year, addressed the family of Tyre Nichols during his funeral before singing “Lord I Will Lift My Eyes to the Hills.”

Randle, like Nichols, was 29 years old when he died.

“I pray that God bless you. I pray that God heal your broken heart,” she said.

Addressing mothers who have endured police shootings, she said that “we are fighting together and all of the mothers all over the world need to come together and stop all of this.”

Kamala Harris arrives in Memphis

Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:17 , Alex Woodward

Vice President Kamala Harris has arrived in Memphis to attend the funeral of Tyre Nichols.

 (AP)
(AP)

The program for the ‘Celebration of Life for Tyre Nichols’

Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:27 , Alex Woodward

A program for the funeral of Tyre Nichols – a “Celebration of Life for Tyre Nichols” – reads that he “loved skateboarding, watching the sunset, photography and most of all helping people.”

“He had the most infectious smile,” it reads.

It prominently features a quote of his that was on his photography website: “My vision is to bring my viewers deep into what I am seeing through my eye and out through my lens.”

Senior pastor begins funeral service

Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:15 , Alex Woodward

In opening remarks, Senior Pastor Rev J Lawrence Turner said the fmaily of Tyre Nichols has “endured the unsolicited .... and unjustifiable burden of grieving their loved one and at the same time demanding justice.”

“We’re praying for you that God will continue to give you strength, because your strength has held us steady, and helped us constructively channel our outrage and turn our anger into action,” he said.

 (AP)
(AP)

Watch: Funeral service begins in Memphis for Tyre Nichols

Wednesday 1 February 2023 18:58 , Alex Woodward

The Rev Al Sharpton will deliver a eulogy at the funeral for Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis this afternoon.

Vice President Kamala Harris and members of the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are expected to attend. Pastor J Lawrence Turner expects as many as 2,500 in attendance.

The service begins at 1pm central time.

Funeral for Tyre Nichols begins soon

Wednesday 1 February 2023 18:20 , Alex Woodward

Mourners are beginning to gather for a funeral service for Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis.

The service will begin at 1pm central time.

 (AP)
(AP)

Church pastor expects 2,500 in attendance

Wednesday 1 February 2023 17:30 , Alex Woodward

The senior pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church told USA Today that he expects the church to be “at capacity” for the afternoon funeral service for Tyre Nichols.

“I think there will be north of 2,500 persons there,” the Rev J Lawrence Turner said. “Our staff and a committed team of volunteers are working together in coordination with the team from [Ben Crump’s law firm] and the National Action Network to accommodate everyone who is coming to celebrate Tyre Nichols’s life.”

The Rev Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network civil rights organisation, said that he was invited by Nichols’s family to deliver a euology at the service.

“They asked me if I would come do a eulogy,” he told The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I told them I’d be honored to do it.”

Members of the Biden administration to attend funeral

Wednesday 1 February 2023 17:00 , Alex Woodward

Keisha Lance Bottoms (Getty Images)
Keisha Lance Bottoms (Getty Images)

At least three members of President Joe Biden’s administration will attend Tyre Nichols’s funeral in Memphis on Wednesday afternoon, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who spoke with his family earlier this week.

A statement from their attorney Ben Crump said his mother RowVaughn Wells and stepfather Rodney Wells invited her.

Mitch Landrieu (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Mitch Landrieu (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms – who is a senior advisor and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement – also is expected to attend.

So is former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who now serves as a senior White House adviser overseeing the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Memphis police ‘SCORPION’ unit had $28m annual budget

Wednesday 1 February 2023 16:33 , Alex Woodward

The now-dissolved unit involved with the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols operated with a $28m annual budget from the time of its creation in 2021 until it was disbanded after the release of video footage of the officers brutally attacking the 29-year-old Black man.

The Memphis Police Department’s now-former unit – Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods, or SCORPION – was among highly armed and armoured local police details across the US deployed in “high crime” areas that have faced waves of criticism, scandal and allegations of abuse.

The Independent’s Graeme Massie explains:

‘Elite’ police units in spotlight after brutal Tyre Nichols killing by officers

Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints, records reveal

Wednesday 1 February 2023 16:00 , Alex Woodward

Four of the five former Memphis Police Department officers charged for the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols were suspended or reprimanded in prior incidents while working for the department, according to recently unveiled personnel files.

Two of the officers were written up after failing to fill out required reports about the use of force during arrests. Two other officers were suspended without pay for traffic accidents, and one of those officers was suspended for failing to file a report about an incident of domestic abuse.

They faced little if any consequences, according to reviews of the officers’ records, and they were praised in at least two instances, with other officers describing their actions as one-time events.

Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints

Who is attending Tyre Nichols’s funeral?

Wednesday 1 February 2023 15:30 , Alex Woodward

Those in attendance at today’s service will include the Rev Al Sharpton, who will deliver a euology, and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The former mayors of Atlanta and New Orleans – Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mitch Landrieu, both of whom now work in President Joe Biden’s administration – will also attend.

What time is Tyre Nichols’ funeral and who is attending?

Memphis prepares to lay Nichols to rest

Wednesday 1 February 2023 15:15 , Alex Woodward

A funeral for Tyre Nichols will begin later this morning inside Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis.

Winter weather had delayed the service, which will take place three weeks after Nichols’s fatal beating by Memphis Police Department officers.

The service will begin at 1pm central time.

 (AP)
(AP)
 (AP)
(AP)

Memphis is ‘preparing’ release of more complete footage

Wednesday 1 February 2023 14:37 , Alex Woodward

The city of Memphis is responding to calls for the full release of footage related to the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, including audio and video footage, which could be releaed within the “next few weeks,” according to a city spokesperson.

Jennifer Sink, Chief Legal Officer for the city, said that the “premature release of the video and audio could compromise our administrative investigation” into his fatal beating.

“The City is preparing to release these recordings publicly upon completion of the administrative investigation, which is expected to occur in the next few weeks,” she added. “Mr Nichols’ family and attorneys have been afforded an opportunity to view the entirety of the audio and video footage privately until it can be released publicly. We request the public’s patience while we complete our investigation”.

A question central to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols: Why was he even being pulled over?

Wednesday 1 February 2023 14:00 , Alex Woodward

Footage of the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols has directly contradicted initial police reports, and an initial claim that he was pulled over for “reckless driving” was effectively retracted by officials in the wake of his death.

“I’m going to be honest with you about the stop itself. What was said was there was witnessing of what was considered reckless driving,” police chief Cerelyn Davis told CNN on Friday.

“We’ve looked at cameras. We’ve looked at body worn cameras. Even if something occurred prior to this stop, we’ve been unable to substantiate it,” she said.

All told, according to the Memphis Police Department, two different altercations occurred between Nichols and officers over the course of the stop, the latter taking place just blocks from Nichols’s home.

Here’s what we know so far:

Why was Tyre Nichols pulled over and beaten?