MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A verdict is expected soon in the federal trial for three former Memphis Police officers accused in Tyre Nichols' death.
The jury officially began deliberations Thursday morning. Word came about 4:30 p.m. that they had reached a verdict.
The prosecutors and defense attorneys gave their closing arguments to the jury on Wednesday.
For more than five hours, defense attorneys for the three ex-MPD officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith, made their case to the jury on why their client should be found not guilty.
During closing arguments, Katheryn Gilbert with the Department of Justice reminded the jury how five MPD officers are responsible for the death of Tyre Nichols. She showed parts of the body camera footage to the jury showing how Bean, Smith, and Haley were telling officers to hit Nichols.
Gilbert detailed each of the four counts those officers face and why they should be convicted for each one of those counts.
The counts Bean, Smith, and Haley face include excessive force and failure to intervene, deliberate indifference, conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice and obstruction of justice.
Defense attorneys for Bean, Smith, and Haley during their closing arguments spoke for more than an hour to the jury giving multiple examples of their clients did follow MPD's policy and training.
Those defense attorneys reminded the jury about key character witnesses, which include Jared Zwickey, a 30-year veteran officer who has trained officers across the country, along with some current and former MPD officer who agree the ex-MPD officer did comply with MPD's policy.
The defense attorneys for Bean, Smith, and Haley, based on their argument, asked the jury to find their clients not guilty on all counts.
In the event any of the three ex-officers are found guilty, they could face 20 years to life in prison.