After about 5 hours of deliberations, a jury found one former Memphis police officer guilty of civil rights violations connected to the fatal police beating of Tyre Nichols over 20 months ago. The jury found Demetrius Haley guilty of using excessive force, being deliberately indifferent to Nichols’ medical needs, and conspiring to witness tamper and witness tampering. While Haley was found guilty on all counts, the jury found that on the first two counts ― using excessive force and being deliberately indifferent to Nichols’ medical needs ― it resulted in injury, not death, and convicted him on lesser charges. Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith Jr. were found guilty of witness tampering.
They were charged alongside former officers Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr. Both Martin and Mills took plea deals — pleading guilty to using excessive force and conspiring to witness tamper — ahead of trial. Both men also testified for the prosecution at trial. Mills’ plea came with a recommended 15-year sentence by prosecutors and Martin’s came with a recommended 40-year sentence, though both will ultimately be decided by Judge Mark S. Norris. All three convicted officers were immediately taken into custody and a hearing will be held Monday to determine if they can be released on bond before their sentencing. A sentencing hearing is set for Jan. 22. The maximum sentence for the other three was life in federal prison based on the original charges. There is no parole in the federal system, so each defendant will serve the entirety of their sentence.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said when the officers were all found guilty of at least one charge, Nichols’ parents immediately said “Thank God.” “Thank God all of them are going to jail for what they did to my boy,” Rodney Wells said after Norris said all three officers would be immediately taken into custody.