A 29-year-old driver was beaten and killed during a police stop in Memphis, Tennessee
The murder of driver Tire Nichols, 29, revolted the black community in the United States after the release of videos showing 5 police officers in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, beating the man during an approach. The assaults were on January 7th, but the FedEx employee died 3 days later.
The Memphis Police Department, in the United States, released 4 videos that exceed 1 hour of footage. The policemen, also black, violently remove the driver from inside the car. The young man is attacked and cursed by the agents, accused of second-degree murder, assault, kidnapping, misconduct and oppression.
Tire cries during the beating and even screams for his mother. Officers Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr, Emmitt Martin III, Justin Smith and Tadarrius Bean take turns to assault the driver.
Watch (3min01s):
Some of the arrested police officers are part of a special unit called scorpion. The city department shut down the group after the head of the corporation spoke with Nichols’ family, community leaders and police.
REVOLT
The case caused outrage in the country. Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells, asked in an interview with the American press that the protests for justice be peaceful and without harm: “This is not what Tire would want and it won’t bring him back.”
Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, accompanied her husband for a press conference. She described her son as a young man passionate about photography, sunsets and skateboarding. “Nobody is perfect, but he came close”he stated.
“All I know is that my son is no longer here with me. He won’t walk through that door again. […] He’s never going to walk in and say ‘Hi Mom and Dad’ again, because that’s what he would do. I will never hear that again”lamented RowVaughn.
Several cities have already registered acts since Friday (27.jan), such as New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles. In Memphis, a group even blocked one of the city’s bridges during the demonstration this Saturday (28.jan).
Watch (4min53s):
US President Joe Biden spoke out about the case. “Like many, I was outraged and deeply saddened to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Nichols’ death.”he said in a statement.
The Democrat also used the moment to urge Congress to pass the law in honor of George Floyd, which provides for police reforms. The text is stuck in the Senate.
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