VP Kamala Harris to visit Memphis for Tyre Nichols' funeral
Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Memphis Wednesday for the funeral of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old FedEx employee and father who died three days after being brutally beaten, Tased and pepper sprayed by Memphis police officers.
The announcement was made in a media advisory Tuesday, the same day Harris spoke by phone with Nichols' mother and stepfather, according to the White House, expressing her condolences and offering support.
"Tyre Nichols should have made it home to his family," Harris said in a written statement Friday, the same day video was released of Nichols being beaten by the officers. "Yet, once again, America mourns the life of a son and father brutally cut short at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve."
In her statement, Harris called on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
"To truly honor Tyre Nichols' memory, and the memory of so many others before him, we must demand that our justice system lives up to its name," Harris said.
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Ben Crump, attorney for Nichols' family, said the phone call with Harris and Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, lasted for more than 30 minutes.
“Vice President Harris and Ms. Wells spoke exclusively, and during this emotional time, the Vice President was able to console Ms. Wells and even help her smile," Crump said. "Tyre’s parents invited Vice President Harris to the funeral tomorrow, and were pleased that she accepted their invitation. Mr. and Mrs. Wells are grateful for Vice President Harris reaching out to them during this heartbreaking time and for her sensitivity on the call.”
Nichols' funeral will be held Wednesday at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, also known as The BLVD.
The Rev. Al Sharpton will give a eulogy.
Harris will be joined by other officials, including White House Director for the Office of Public Engagement Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former mayor of Atlanta, and Senior Advisor to the President Mitch Landrieu, a former mayor of New Orleans.
Five of the officers involved in Nichols' death have been indicted on second-degree murder charges. Three people from the Memphis Fire Department were fired Monday for not providing adequate medical aid to Nichols. Two other officers at the Memphis Fire Department and two deputies of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office are also relieved of duty and under investigation.
Katherine Burgess covers county government and religion. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: VP Kamala Harris to visit Memphis for Tyre Nichols' funeral
