MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Three of the five ex-Memphis Police Department officers charged in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols, will stand trial on Sept. 9.
The officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith Jr., will face federal civil rights and conspiracy charges in Nichols' death.
Nichols died from blows to his head, and according to an autopsy report released May 4, 2023, the manner of death was homicide.
So far, two of the ex-MPD officers charged in Nichols' death have pleaded guilty.
Emmitt Martin III pleaded guilty to counts one and three of the federal indictment. Count one charged Martin with using excessive force and failing to intervene in the unlawful assault. Count three charged Martin with conspiring to cover up his use of unlawful force by omitting material information and by providing false and misleading information to his supervisor and to others.
"Driven by anger, Emmitt Martin used excessive force on Tyre Nichols on January 7, 2023. Driven by fear, he tried to cover it up. Today, in open court, he accepted responsibility for what he did," Martin's attorney Stephen Ross Johnson said.
Martin's sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 5, according to court records.
A fifth former officer charged in the case, Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty in early November 2023 to federal charges of excessive force and obstruction of justice. The same charges Martin pleaded to Friday, Aug. 23.
According to court records, Mills' sentencing will be on Nov. 7, 2024.
As part of their plea deals, prosecutors recommended Martin get 40 years in prison and Mills get 15 years.
Bean, Haley and Smith are also set to face state charges of second-degree murder after the conclusion of the Sept. 9 federal trial.
Nichols' mother, RowVaughan Wells filed a $550-million suit against the City of Memphis, the involved officers and Police Chief CJ Davis, accusing her of ignoring the department's SCORPION Unit's 'aggressive' style of policing and accusing MPD of improper training and low hiring standards.
Wells has also started the official Tyre Nichols GoFundMe page which has now raised over $1.5 million. Wells says she wants to the funds to build a memorial skate park for Nichols, in honor of his love of skating and sunsets