Timeline events in the death of Tyre Nichols
Death of Tyre Nichols – Mr. Nichols was captured by Memphis police on the evening of January 7 and died three days later. Five officers were charged with murder on Thursday.
The death of Tyre Nichols sparked outrage and prompted state and federal investigations in the weeks following Mr. Nichols, a 29-year-old black man who died after being pulled over by police in Memphis.
Lawyers for Mr. Nicholls’ family said video footage that has not been publicly released shows he was beaten for three minutes by police officers during the traffic stop. “It was not only violent, but it was also wild.” one of the lawyers said, “He was a human piñata for those police officers.”
Here is a timeline of the key events in this case:
January 7: At approximately 8:30 p.m., Mr. Nichols was stopped by police officers on suspicion of reckless driving near the intersection of Raines Road and Ross Road in Memphis.
Memphis police said in an initial statement that a “confrontation occurred” as officers approached their vehicle and Mr. Nichols fled. Police said there was then “another confrontation” as officers arrested him, and an ambulance was called after he complained of shortness of breath.
January 10: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that Mr. Nichols had “succumbed to his injuries” and died.
January 14: Mr. Nichols’ family held a memorial event and a balloon release in his honor, according to the Commercial Appeal, a Memphis newspaper. Supporters staged a sit-in in the nearby police station premises.
Timeline events in the death of Tyre Nichols
January 15: The Memphis Police Department announced that an internal administrative investigation was underway.
January 16: Mr. Nichols’ family retained prominent civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, representing the families of several black victims of police violence, including Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. Mr. Crump called Memphis police to release body camera footage of the encounter: “No one should ever die from a simple traffic stop – the only way to understand the true story of why and how it happened with a tire There’s the footage.”
January 18: The US Department of Justice announces that it has opened a civil rights investigation into the death of Mr. Nichols and is coordinating with the FBI’s Memphis Field Office.
January 20: The Memphis Police Department said five officers had violated department policies concerning Mr. Nichols’ death, including policies governing excessive use of force, duty to intervene, and duty to render aid. All five officers were fired.
January 23: Mr. Nicholls’ family viewed body camera footage from the night of the traffic stop, but Mr. Nicholls’ mother could not view the full video. Lawyers for the family called the video “disgusting,” comparing it to a 1991 video showing Rodney King being brutally executed by Los Angeles police. “How did we end up here again after so many years?” he asked.
Timeline events in the death of Tyre Nichols
January 24: Preliminary findings of an autopsy commissioned by Mr. Nicholls’ family revealed that he “suffered extensive hemorrhage as a result of severe beatings.” His family shared a photo taken before his death on January 10, where he is seen in a hospital bed, apparently unconscious, with bruises and swelling on his face.
The Memphis Fire Department announced that two employees involved in the “initial patient care” of Mr. Nichols were being “relieved of duty” pending an internal investigation.
January 25: Memphis Police Chief Cerelin Davis condemned the police officer’s actions as a “failure of basic humanity” in a video statement. Other Memphis police officers were still under investigation for policy violations, she said.
Noting the “significant public interest” in releasing the video, the US Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee also urged citizens to react in a “peaceful and non-violent manner.”
January 26: The five police officers dismissed were given. Mr. Nichols was arrested in connection with the death and was charged with second-degree murder, among other felony charges.
Defense attorneys say they haven’t yet seen the video of Nichols’ arrest.
After Thursday’s news conference, two defense attorneys representing the two former Memphis police officers spoke with reporters.
Timeline events in the death of Tyre Nichols
The lawyers told reporters that there are two sides to every story
Defense attorney Blake Ballin, who represents Desmond Mills Jr., described Mills as a “gentle, respectful father” and said he was “devastated to find himself accused of a crime.” He also said that Mills had dedicated his life to protecting his community and to be accused of someone’s death is “devastating.”
Attorney William Massey, representing Emmitt Martin III, told reporters that neither he nor Ballin have seen the body camera video, adding that anytime an officer goes to jail, it is a “traumatic event.”
Thanks for visiting US Map of State