Tyre Nichols Protest at the Ohio Statehouse 8 — Credit: Becker1999 · CC BY 2.0
On January 7, 2023, Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man living in Memphis, Tennessee, was stopped by Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers who said they were responding to reckless driving. Officers pulled Nichols from his car, pepper-sprayed and tasered him, and he broke free and ran toward his mother's home, less than a mile away. Officers caught him near the house, where he was punched, kicked, pepper-sprayed again, and struck with a baton. Medics who arrived on scene did not begin emergency care for 16 minutes. Nichols was hospitalized in critical condition and died on January 10, 2023. An autopsy by the Shelby County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head and classified the manner of death as homicide, with toxicology showing a blood alcohol content of 0.049 and the presence of THC.
The five MPD officers involved — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith — were members of the department's SCORPION unit and were fired effective January 8, 2023. MPD Chief Cerelyn J. Davis stated the department could not substantiate probable cause for the traffic stop. All five were arrested and indicted on January 26, 2023, on charges of second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, official misconduct, and official oppression. A sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, who is white and present only at the initial stop, was fired in February 2023 for policy violations but was not criminally charged after prosecutors determined he was not present when Nichols suffered his fatal injuries.
In state court, Mills pleaded guilty to all state charges, including murder, as part of a cooperation agreement, and Martin changed his plea to guilty in August 2024. Bean, Haley, and Smith went to trial in April 2025 and were acquitted of all state charges on May 7, 2025, after a nine-day trial.
Separately, federal prosecutors charged all five officers in September 2023 with civil rights violations, obstruction, and conspiracy to commit witness tampering. Mills pleaded guilty to federal charges in November 2023; Martin pleaded guilty to two federal counts in August 2024. Haley, Bean, and Smith were tried federally beginning September 2024; on October 3, 2024, a jury convicted Haley on all four counts, while Bean and Smith were each convicted of one lesser obstruction-related count and acquitted of more serious charges. On August 28, 2025, Judge Sheryl H. Lipman ordered a new trial for Bean, Haley, and Smith, citing concerns about bias related to comments from a judge in the earlier proceeding; Haley was released from custody on September 10, 2025.
The MPD disbanded the SCORPION unit on January 28, 2023, following Nichols's death. Release of body-camera footage on January 27, 2023, prompted protests in Memphis and other U.S. cities. Nichols's family filed a $550 million civil lawsuit against the City of Memphis, the police department, the chief, and the officers involved.
Tyre Nichols is stopped by Memphis police officers and beaten during and after a traffic stop.
2023-01-08
Five officers involved are relieved of duty effective this date.
2023-01-10
Nichols dies in hospital from injuries sustained during the encounter.
2023-01-20
MPD announces the five officers will be fired.
2023-01-24
The five officers are arrested and charged with second-degree murder and other offenses.
2023-01-26
A Tennessee grand jury indicts the five officers on multiple charges.
2023-01-27
MPD releases body-camera and pole-camera footage of the incident; protests begin.
2023-01-28
MPD disbands the SCORPION unit.
2023-02-03
Officer Preston Hemphill is fired from MPD for policy violations.
2023-03-24
Tennessee POST commission votes to decertify four of the five officers.
2023-04-19
Nichols's family files a $550 million civil lawsuit against the City of Memphis and others.
2023-05-02
Shelby County DA announces Hemphill will not be criminally charged.
2023-09
Federal prosecutors charge the five officers with civil rights violations and related offenses.
2023-11-02
Desmond Mills Jr. pleads guilty to federal charges and agrees to plead guilty to state charges.
2024-08-23
Emmitt Martin III changes his plea to guilty on federal charges.
2024-10-03
Federal jury convicts Haley on all counts; Bean and Smith convicted of one lesser count each.
2025-05-07
Bean, Haley, and Smith are acquitted of all state charges.
2025-08-28
Judge Sheryl H. Lipman orders a new trial for Bean, Haley, and Smith in the federal case.
2025-09-10
Haley is released from custody.
Best coverage
Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
Dr. Todd Grande / 11 min
Doomed Police Gang Unit Beats Motorist to Death During Traffic Stop | Tyre Nichols Case Analysis
VIDEO
Crime Weekly / 26 min
Crime Weekly News: Five Officers Charged With Murder of Tyre Nichols
People
Tyre Nichols
VICTIM
29-year-old Black man who died three days after being beaten by police during a traffic stop
Cerelyn J. Davis
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Memphis Police Chief who oversaw the department's response, disbanded the SCORPION unit, and stated no probable cause could be substantiated for the traffic stop
Justin Smith
ACQUITTED
MPD officer; acquitted of all state charges on May 7, 2025; convicted of one lesser federal count on October 3, 2024; later granted a new federal trial
Emmitt Martin III
CONVICTED
MPD officer; pleaded guilty to state charges and to two federal charges (excessive force and witness tampering) in August 2024
Demetrius Haley
CONVICTED
MPD officer; convicted on all four federal counts on October 3, 2024; acquitted of state charges May 7, 2025; later granted a new federal trial
Preston Hemphill
LAW ENFORCEMENT
White MPD officer present at initial traffic stop; fired from MPD in February 2023; not criminally charged
Desmond Mills Jr.
CONVICTED
MPD officer; pleaded guilty to federal civil rights and conspiracy charges and to all state charges including murder
Tadarrius Bean
ACQUITTED
MPD officer; acquitted of all state charges on May 7, 2025; convicted of one lesser federal count on October 3, 2024; later granted a new federal trial
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, died three days after being beaten by Memphis police officers during and after a traffic stop on January 7, 2023, an event that prompted criminal charges, protests, and a federal civil rights case.
Where did the killing happen?
Memphis, Tennessee.
Who was convicted?
Emmitt Martin III (MPD officer; pleaded guilty to state charges and to two federal charges (excessive force and witness tampering) in August 2024), Demetrius Haley (MPD officer; convicted on all four federal counts on October 3, 2024; acquitted of state charges May 7, 2025; later granted a new federal trial), and Desmond Mills Jr. (MPD officer; pleaded guilty to federal civil rights and conspiracy charges and to all state charges including murder).
