Memphis police officers who brutally beat Tyre Nichols to death were motivated by a desire to punish him for fleeing a traffic stop in 2023, believing they could cover it up, a prosecutor stated Wednesday during closing arguments in the federal trial of three of the officers involved.
“They wanted it to be a beatdown,” prosecutor Kathryn Gilbert told the jury in the trial of Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, accused of violating Nichols’ civil rights and attempting to cover up the violent incident. “And that’s exactly what it was.”
Prosecutors argued that the assault was a reflection of a common but unofficial practice among officers known as the “street tax” or “run tax” — essentially retribution for fleeing.
Gilbert referenced testimony from Emmitt Martin, one of two officers who accepted a plea deal. Martin confirmed that Nichols posed no threat at the time of the beating. To reinforce her point, she displayed a photo of Nichols to the jury — smiling, dressed in a vest and tie, with his hands casually in his pockets.
According to Gilbert, the officers laughed and boasted about the beating, then lied to their superiors and medical personnel to shield themselves from consequences. “They prioritized their own comfort and convenience over Mr. Nichols’ life,” she declared.
Haley’s defense attorney, Stephen Leffler, downplayed his client’s involvement, claiming Haley only kicked Nichols once on the arm to assist in handcuffing him. Leffler also shifted blame onto Martin, suggesting that Nichols attempted to grab Martin’s weapon, influencing Haley’s actions.
Meanwhile, John Keith Perry, attorney for Bean, argued that Nichols disobeyed commands and that his client, the youngest officer involved, was merely following department protocols. Perry insisted that the force Bean used — hitting Nichols on his hands to cuff him — was not excessive. He also challenged FBI testimony that Bean had punched Nichols in the head, questioning the accuracy of an unrecorded interview.
None of the officers testified in their defense. Instead, they relied on expert witnesses to counter the prosecution’s claims of excessive force, failure to intervene, and covering up the extent of the beating.
Perry warned the jury against getting caught up in “semantics” as he argued that both Martin and another former officer, Desmond Mills, had initially lied to investigators about the incident.
Footage from the police body cameras revealed the disturbing reality: five officers, all Black, assaulted Nichols, also Black, near his home. They repeatedly punched, kicked, and struck him with a baton as he cried out for his mother.
“You saw the punches. You saw the kicks. You saw the baton strikes,” Gilbert reminded the jury.
Earlier in the day, U.S. District Judge Mark Norris gave the jury detailed instructions before closing arguments.
Outside the courthouse, Nichols’ supporters joined hands in prayer, led by Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson. The prayer ended with a call for “Justice for Tyre.” In the courtroom, Pearson sat next to Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, offering her quiet comfort as the emotional arguments unfolded.
Nichols died on January 10, 2023, three days after the beating. The autopsy revealed he suffered fatal brain injuries, along with numerous cuts and bruises across his body. He was a 29-year-old father of a now 7-year-old boy.
All five officers involved were fired. They were part of the Scorpion Unit, which focused on drugs, guns, and violent offenders. The unit was disbanded following Nichols’ death.
Haley, Bean, and Smith have pleaded not guilty to federal charges of excessive force, failure to intervene, and obstruction of justice. If convicted, they could face life in prison. In addition to the federal trial, they are also facing state charges of second-degree murder, with a trial date yet to be set. Mills and Martin are expected to change their pleas.
Leave a Reply