Investigating the legal proceedings confronting the ex-Memphis police officers linked to the demise of Tyre Nichols
In a surprising turn of events, a federal judge has ordered a new trial for Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, three Memphis police officers who were found guilty in October 2024 of obstructing justice through witness tampering in the January 2023 beating of Tyre Nichols.
The incident, captured on a police pole camera, led to intense scrutiny of the Memphis police department, nationwide protests, and renewed calls for police reform. Nichols, a young Black man, died in a hospital three days later.
The three officers were charged in federal court with civil rights violations and obstructing justice. They were acquitted of all state charges in May 2023, but were found guilty in a federal court trial. However, U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman has now ordered a new trial due to a risk of bias.
Judge Lipman's decision comes after concerns were raised about the role of U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris, who presided over the trial. Norris, who has since been reassigned off other cases, including the $550 million lawsuit by Nichols' family against the five officers and the city of Memphis, reportedly made comments that raised questions of bias. He suggested that at least one of the officers could be in a gang and that the gang may have been responsible for shooting his law clerk.
Charles Geyh, a law school professor at Indiana University, said this scenario is highly unusual. He also mentioned that it's rarer still for a judge to generalize about the police force and associate them with organized crime and gangs.
The hearing for the new trial is set for September 25. In the meantime, lawyers for Bean, Haley, and Smith will need to state what charges they believe need to be retried. David Raybin, a Nashville criminal defense attorney, suggested the possibility of renewed plea bargaining.
Two other officers involved in the beating, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty and avoided trial. Mills pleaded guilty in November 2023 in federal court to violating Nichols' civil rights by causing death and conspiracy to witness tamper. Martin followed suit in August 2024.
The family of Tyre Nichols has not commented publicly on the new trial. Nichols' death sparked a national conversation about police brutality and the need for reform. As the case continues to unfold, the hope is that justice will be served and that the events of that fateful day in January 2023 will never be forgotten.
