MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Prosecutors in the federal civil rights trial against three former Memphis Police officers charged with the death of Tyre Nichols called one of their former colleagues, who pled guilty to federal charges earlier in the year, to the stand Monday.
Emmitt Martin III is one of the five now-former Memphis Police officers charged with murder in Nichols' death. He, alongside former officer Desmond Mills Jr., pled guilty to violating Nichols' civil rights by using excessive force and failing to intervene in the unlawful assault.
Martin testified for roughly half an hour, saying he was there to tell what happened to Tyre.
Prosecutors noted that Martin’s nicknames were “full can” for his use of pepper spray on a past suspect and that with Haley, he was called “smash brothers,” for being "aggressive."
Martin said that the now-defunct SCORPION Unit’s goal was to get guns and drugs off the street. Officers were picked based on productivity and it was statistics driven for staying on the team.
When asked by prosecutors what training taught him about use of force, Martin said, “You can be charged by the department and possibly here.”
Martin openly admitted to not using his body worn camera properly all of the time and that you were supposed to write your response to resistance form as if it was to be presented in court.
Prosecutors asked about the “run tax” and what it meant. Martin said that it meant if you run, “you get your a— beat.”
Martin said the unit would often exaggerate what suspects did to justify or downplay what they did.
He had been struck by a car in November 2022 and returned to work Jan. 3, 2023.
Martin said he was nervous and scared to go back to work.
“I was angry,” Martin said. “I wanted some kind of revenge. I was seeing red.”
The night Nichols was stopped, Martin said they had zero arrests and he saw Nichols speeding but he beat a red light.
Martin said he ran the plate and it came back clean. At another red light, Nichols took off at a high rate of speed when it turned green and changed lanes without a signal.
Martin switched to car to car radio channels and got Haley who said he would take over.
Martin said he doesn’t know why he blocked in Nichols car and it wasn’t policy to do so but because he exaggerated, it was now a felony stop. Martin said it wasn’t though on the stand.
Haley and Martin both approached Nichols with guns drawn and Haley snatched him out.
Martin said that they did not read him any reasons why they pulled him over.
“No. Never got a chance to,” Martin said. “Just didn’t.”
“He wasn’t a threat.”
Martin said they were told that if one officer had hands on someone that everyone had to have hands on them.
But even then, Martin said Nichols was passive and not aggressive.
“He wasn’t a threat,” Martin said again.
Martin said they should’ve analyzed the situation first and got Nichols' hands and that conflicting commands were given.
Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, faced the other way as Martin’s testimony went on.
Trial was paused for the day and Martin's testimony will begin again Tuesday morning with the video of the stop.