A routine traffic stop became a nightmare, leading to Tyre Nichols' death in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 10. The police footage has not been released but reportedly ghastly, leading to the firing of five Memphis police officers, all of whom are black. All five officers were indicted today, charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and kidnapping. These are no longer local stories, as those left-wing activists seeking to defund police departments will use this as political ammunition. Police Chief Cerelyn Davis described Nichols’ death as inhumane and reckless, and urged the public not to react violently to the footage (via Fox News):
Authorities in Tennessee are preparing for the release of police officer body cam footage of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who died three days after a traffic stop on Jan. 7.
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis gave an address Wednesday evening and called Nichols’ death "heinous, reckless and inhumane," cautioning people not to react violently after seeing the footage.
"This is not just a professional failing. This is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual," Davis said, saying the five officers and others who were involved in his death "failed our community, and they failed the Nichols family. That is beyond regrettable."
"In the vein of transparency, when the video is released in the coming days, you will see this for yourselves," she added. "I expect you to feel what the Nichols family feels. I expect you to feel outraged by the disregard for basic human rights as our police officers have taken an oath to do the opposite of what transpired on the video."
The only problem here is that the lawyer for the Nichols family is Ben Crump, a noted attention-seeker. These figures often do more harm than good. The Washington Post has more on the events that led to Nichols’ death:
After viewing body-camera video of the arrest on Monday, lawyers for Nichols’s family said he was kicked, punched and Tasered less than 100 yards from his home. A police spokesperson said officers pulled Nichols over for alleged reckless driving, and Nichols fled on foot before he was ultimately arrested.
The Department of Justice and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are conducting separate investigations into the arrest.
The Memphis police department announced the firing of the five officers involved in the Nichols arrest on Jan. 20, saying they had used excessive force and failed to intervene and render aid, violating department policy.
The officers each joined the department within the past five years.
Despite pleas for calm, there will probably be some unrest. Let’s hope no riots ensue. All the officers involved are currently incarcerated.
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