Five former police officers plead not guilty to Tyre Nichols murder

Tyre Nichols' mother said none of those on trial could look her in the eye, as Dan Rivers reports

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith made their first court appearances with their lawyers before a judge in Shelby County Criminal Court on Friday.

The officers were fired after an internal police investigation into the January 7 arrest of Nichols, who died in a hospital three days later.

At a news conference after the hearing, Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, said that the officers didn’t have the courage to look her in the eye, but that "they’re going to see me at every court date - everyone - until we get justice for my son."

(From top left) officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, (bottom row, from left) Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith. Credit: AP

"I feel very numb right now," Ms Wells said. "And I’m waiting for this nightmare basically that I’m going through right now, I’m waiting for somebody to wake me up. I know that’s not going to happen.”

The officers pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.

Mr Nichols was stopped by police for an alleged traffic violation and was pulled out of his car by officers who used profanity, with at least one brandishing a gun. 

An officer hit Mr Nichols with a stun gun, but he ran away toward his nearby home, according to video footage released by the city.

Footage of the arrest left many unanswered questions. Credit: AP

Officers who were part of a crime-suppression team known as Scorpion caught up with Mr Nichols and punched him, kicked him and hit him with a baton as he yelled for his mother.

After the beating, officers stood by and talked with one another as Mr Nichols struggled with his injuries on the ground, video showed.

The Nichols case is the latest to prompt nationwide protests across the US and renew an intense public discussion about police brutality.

Mr Nichols and all of the former police officers on trial are black.

Presiding over the case Judge James Jones Jr. said: "We understand that there may be some high emotions in this case, but we ask that you continue to be patient with us."

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"Everyone involved wants this case to be concluded as quickly as possible. But it’s important for you all to understand that the state of Tennessee, as well as each one of these defendants, have an absolute right to a fair trial."

Bean’s attorney, John Keith Perry, spoke with reporters afterwards, saying Bean was doing his job at that time and "never touched" Mr Nichols.

That assertion is contradicted by video footage.

Blake Ballin, the attorney for Mills, said the process must be "based on the facts and the law, and not the raw emotions that our country is experiencing."

Mr Ballin also said the nation's grief over Mr Nichols' death "absolutely should be channelled into demanding change in the way that we police our communities."

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He added: "Let’s not forget that my client is a Black man in a courtroom in America."

Police said Mr Nichols had been suspected of reckless driving, but no verified evidence of a traffic violation has emerged in public documents or in video footage.

Memphis Police Director Cerelyn Davis has said she has seen no evidence justifying the stop or the officers’ response.

She disbanded the elite Scorpion policing unit, which she created in November 2021, after Mr Nichols’ death.

One other white officer who was involved in the initial traffic stop has been fired. An additional officer who has not been identified has been suspended.