MEMPHIS, Tenn — Jurors reached a split decision for three of the five former Memphis police officers accused in the beating death of Tyre Nichols in federal court Thursday afternoon.
The jury began deliberations about 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, and by 4:30 p.m., word came that they had reached a verdict. After nearly six and a half hours, jurors delivered a verdict for Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith, and Demetrius Haley.
Tadarrius Bean
Jurors ruled Bean was only guilty on one count - count four - which was obstruction. He was found not guilty on counts one through three - deprivation of rights, as well as the lesser charge, deliberate indifference and the lesser charge, and conspiracy.
Demetrius Haley
Haley was found guilty on lesser charges of deliberate indifference and deprivation of rights resulting in bodily injury for counts one and two. Haley was found guilty of counts three and four - conspiracy to commit obstruction and obstruction.
Justin Smith
Smith was found not guilty on counts one and two - deprivation of rights and the lesser charge, and deliberate indifference and the lesser charge of deprivation of rights resulting in bodily injury. Smith was found not guilty of conspiracy in count three, but was found guilty for count four, which was obstruction.
The three former Memphis Police Department officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols were on trial for nearly four weeks in the four count federal indictment.
The officers had been charged with deprivation of rights under the color of law through excessive force and failure to intervene, and through deliberate indifference; conspiracy to witness tampering; and obstruction of justice through witness tampering.
All have been taken into custody by U.S. Marshals despite attorneys protests. A detention hearing was scheduled for Monday. Sentencing was set for January 22, 2025.
The prosecution rested its case Thursday, Sept. 26, after 19 witnesses were called to the stand, including two former MPD SCORPION Unit officers who pled guilty to Nichols' 2023 beating death: Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin III. Both admitted fault during their testimonies, with the former becoming emotional.
Martin and Mills face recommended prison sentences of up to 40 and 15 years, respectively.
Attorneys for all three former Memphis Police officers rested their cases without having to call them to testify. Smith's attorney, Martin Zummach, was the last to rest after calling former and current officers to the stand Monday, Sept. 30. Prosecutors and attorneys delivered closing arguments Wednesday, Oct. 2.
Nichols was beaten Jan. 7 after a traffic stop that was caught on video, and he died three days later. Nichols died of blows to his head, and the manner of death was homicide, an autopsy report released May 4 showed.
The five officers, all of whom are Black, were fired shortly after the beating. In addition to the state charges, they were indicted in September 2023 on the federal civil rights charges alleging they used excessive force and lied about the beating.
The five former officers were part of the so-called Scorpion unit, a crime-suppression team that police officials disbanded after Nichols' beating.
A jury trial for the $550 million lawsuit filed by Nichols’ family against the City of Memphis is set for March 2025. Following the verdict in the federal trial, attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Nichols' family, said they “plan to go full speed ahead” on civil suit.