Attempts to diminish murder charges against three former officers implicated in the death of Tyre Nichols in a legal trial.
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Memphis, Tennessee - Witness testimony in the trial of three former Memphis police officers charged with fatally beating Tyre Nichols continues today, a day after defense attorneys attempted to buffer accusations that the officers used excessive force during their encounter with Nichols following a traffic stop.
According to reports, former Memphis police officer Desmond Mills Jr. took the stand yesterday as a prosecution witness against Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, who have pleaded not guilty to state charges including second-degree murder in the death of Nichols. The three defendants have already been found guilty of federal charges last year and face prospective years in prison.
29-year-old Nichols, an African-American man, fled a January 2023 traffic stop after being forcibly removed from his vehicle, pepper-sprayed, and tasered. Five officers, who are also African-American, caught up with him and proceeded to punch, kick, and strike him with a police baton as they struggled to handcuff him. Nichols could be heard calling out for his mother mere steps from his home.
The officers stand accused of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression.
Video footage, captured by a police body camera, showed the officers standing around and laughing while Nichols struggled. His death resulted in widespread protests, amplified calls for police reform in the United States, and intense scrutiny towards the Memphis police department - a majority-Black city.
Mills and another officer involved in the beating, Emmitt Martin, have agreed to plead guilty to the state charges and are not standing trial with their former colleagues as part of plea deals with prosecutors. Both officers also pleaded guilty in federal court and are awaiting sentencing, along with the other four officers.
In the Spotlight:
Excessive Force and Racial Discrimination in Memphis Police Department
The U.S. Department of Justice concluded a 17-month investigation into the Memphis Police Department in December 2025, uncovering profound systemic issues including:
- Excessive force: The department exhibited patterns of unjustified violent tactics, using pepper spray, tasers, and physical violence disproportionately in non-lethal situations.
- Racial discrimination: The department routinely discriminated against African-American residents, particularly through their now-disbanded Scorpion Unit which systematically targeted Black neighborhoods using force against unarmed individuals.
The investigation's findings, which led to widespread protests and federal action, demonstrated that these practices violated constitutional rights and eroded community trust.
Key contextual factors:
- Scorpion Unit's role: The specialized unit prioritized arrest quotas through aggressive tactics against minor offenses.
- Post-Nichols reforms: The unit was disbanded, but broader departmental practices remained under scrutiny.
- Federal charges: Five officers received federal convictions, with two testifying about the culture of violence during state trials.
Sources:
- AP News
- WMC Action News 5
- DOJ Press Release
- NPR Report
- Memphis Commercial Appeal
Desmond Mills Jr., a former Memphis police officer, took the stand yesterday as a prosecution witness against Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, three defendants who are currently standing trial in Memphis. Previously found guilty of federal charges, the defendants now face state charges, including second-degree murder in the death of Tyre Nichols, and face prospective years in prison if convicted. Interestingly, Mills and another officer involved in the case have agreed to plead guilty to the state charges and await sentencing, in a move that is not part of their respective trial with the other defendants. This incident, like many others involving the Memphis Police Department, has raised concerns about excessive force and racial discrimination within the department.
