MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tennessee’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission voted to hold off on the decertification status of former Memphis Police Officer, Tadarrius Bean. He is one of five former officers charged in Tyre Nichols’ death.
Bean did not appear at the hearing, but one of his lawyers did. This means his decertification status is pending until the conclusion of other proceedings.
Bean and four other former Memphis officers face multiple charges including second degree murder in Tyre Nichols’ death.
Back in March, former officers Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin, Justin Smith, and Desmond Mills were all decertified which means they will not be able to work in law enforcement in Tennessee again. Former officers, Preston Hemphill and Lieutenant DeWayne Smith, were not charged in Nichols’ death; however, they still face decertification.
The decertification process is separate from the criminal cases brought against the former officers charged.
All five former officers were charged with second degree murder, aggravated assault – acting in concert, aggravated kidnapping causing bodily injury, aggravated kidnapping while possessing a weapon, and other charges related to the death of Tyre Nichols.
Nichols was left unconscious, brutally beaten and unrecognizable after what was supposed to be a regular traffic stop, where he encountered several MPD officers serving on a specialized tactics unit called SCORPION Unit.
All five officers pleaded not guilty during their first court appearance on Feb. 17.
Nichols's encounter with the MPD officers serving on the SCORPION specialized tactics unit has law enforcement, Nichols' family, and protestors calling for full police reform.
All five former officers are expected to appear in court on June 5th.