The videos depicted Nichols being tortured and beaten to death by Memphis police officers.
Tyre Nichols Fatally Beaten By Stephen A. Smith In Horrifying Videos Calls For 1st-Degree Murder Charges (PHOTO: WTTW News)
Memphis Police Called For First-Degree Murder Charges
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith demands first-degree murder charges following the release of harrowing bodycam footage of Memphis police officers beating Tyre Nichols 29-year-old to death.
Friday the Memphis police department launched bodycam footage showing three videos and one was from a police surveillance camera mounted on a pole. The videos also captured Nichols slumped over on the ground, punched, struck with a baton, appearing to be kicked in the face, and sprayed with an irritant. The videos even depicted him crying out for his mother and saying he was trying to go home.
Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney said to the officers involved “These were monsters that did this to my son.” A video of the initial traffic stop shows a chaotic scene as officers yank Nichols from the car, shout commands over one another and at times threaten him. Nichols is on the ground when he is sprayed in the face with what appears to be pepper spray or another irritant, and he runs, the videos appear to show.
A pole camera video shows the scene where officers have caught up to Nichols at another location. Nichols seen lying on the ground in the footage as the camera pans over. President Joe Biden Friday night expressed his indignation and described what was seen in the videos as horrific. Additionally, Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis the city’s top police official, had previously described the conduct captured in the disturbing and graphic video as “heinous, reckless and inhumane.”
Nichols Is In Critical Condition
Nichols was hospitalized in critical condition after the incident and died three days later. Details about what happened between Nichols and the officers have been sparse. Nichols ran during the reckless driving stop and a “confrontation” occurred in an effort to detain him.
The aggressive encounter led to the termination of the five Memphis police officers and was charged with second-degree murder and other counts. Davis said other officers remain under investigation in connection with the alleged policy violations in the traffic stop.
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