Supervisor in Tyre Nichols' death retired before firing
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — (AP) — The Memphis police supervisor on scene when Tyre Nichols was beaten to death by officers retired with his benefits the day before a hearing to fire him, according to documents filed to revoke his law enforcement certification. The attorney for Nichols' family said the department should not have let Smith “cowardly sidestep the consequences of his actions” and retire after 25 years. Seven other Memphis officers were fired after Nichols died following a traffic stop on Jan. 7 and five of them are charged with second-degree murder. His actions were captured on the body cameras of other officers, documents said. The U.S. Department of Justice is currently reviewing the Memphis Police Department policies on the use of force, de-escalation strategies and specialized units in response to Nichols' death.
wftv.comBlack lawmakers pressure DOJ on police reform: 'Tyre Nichols and other lives depend on it'
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) are pushing the Justice Department to follow through more aggressively on President Biden's 2022 executive order on police reform. “Tyre Nichols and other lives depend on it.”Horsford announced that his caucus submitted a letter demanding data from the Justice Department on Biden’s executive order, signed last May, that instituted new rules for federal law enforcement officers. The Justice Department insisted it is not dragging its feet on Biden’s executive order. Memphis police bodycam and surveillance footage showed officers brutally beating Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop on Jan. 7. On Wednesday, the Justice Department launched an investigation into the Memphis Police Department.
wftv.comTyre Nichols death spurs Justice Department police review
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — (AP) — The Justice Department announced Wednesday that it will review the Memphis Police Department policies on the use of force, de-escalation strategies and specialized units in response to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols during an arrest. In a separate effort, it will examine the use of specialized units around the country and produce a guide for police chiefs and mayors on their use, according to the announcement. The U.S. Justice Department has previously opened a civil rights investigation into Nichols’ death. Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Sink mentioned the video release during a City Council committee meeting Tuesday. The review of Memphis police's use of force, de-escalation policies and specialized units will be handled by the Justice Department's Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center, or COPS office.
wftv.comRelease of new Tyre Nichols video, audio delayed by court order
The planned release of about 20 hours of video and audio related to the deadly police beating of Tyre Nichols earlier this year has been delayed due to a court order, according to multiple reports. However, a judge stopped the release on Wednesday, signing an order filed by an attorney representing one of the officers charged with murder in Nichols’ death, the Commercial Appeal reported. Earlier, officials released just over an hour of footage showing the confrontation between Nichols, 29, and officers. Five officers have since been fired and charged with murder in Nichols’ death. The Justice Department on Wednesday announced plans to review the Memphis Police Department’s policies and procedures following Nichols’ death.
wftv.comTyre Nichols death spurs Justice Department police review
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — (AP) — The Justice Department announced Wednesday that it will review the Memphis Police Department policies on use of force, de-escalation policies and specialized units in response to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols during an arrest. In a separate effort, it will examine the use of specialized units around the country and produce a guide for police chiefs and mayors on their use, according to the announcement. “In the wake of Tyre Nichols’s tragic death, the Justice Department has heard from police chiefs across the country who are assessing the use of specialized units and, where used, appropriate management, oversight and accountability for such units," said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. The U.S. Justice Department has previously opened a civil rights investigation into Nichols’ death. The review of Memphis police's use of force, de-escalation policies and specialized units will be handled by the Justice Department's Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center, or COPS office.
wftv.comTyre Nichols death: DOJ to review Memphis police policies, specialized law enforcement units
The Justice Department on Wednesday announced plans to review Memphis Police Department policies and procedures and the use of specialized law enforcement units following the death earlier this year of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols. >> Read more trending newsNichols died Jan. 10, three days after video released by authorities showed him being beaten by Memphis police officers during a traffic stop near his home. Several other law enforcement officers have also been suspended or fired in connection with Nichols’ death. The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS Office, plans to launch its review following a request from Mayor Jim Strickland and Police Chief Cerelyn Davis. It will focus on the police department’s use of force, de-escalation and specialized units, officials said.
wftv.comTyre Nichols death: City of Memphis to release about 20 hours of video, audio
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The City of Memphis on Tuesday said that they are planning to release around 20 hours of video and audio that is related to the Tyre Nichols case. >> Read more trending newsThe City of Memphis Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Sink told city councilmembers on Tuesday that the city is planning to release additional video and footage from Nichols’ violent arrest, The Associated Press reported. Sink also announced in the city council meeting Tuesday that internal investigations have led to four Memphis Fire Department personnel being charged as well as 13 Memphis Police Department personnel being charged, according to ABC News. Along with the video footage, the charges and disciplinary decisions will be posted on Wednesday along with the 20 hours of video footage and audio, Sink said, per ABC News. A civil rights investigation into Nichols’ death has been opened by the United States Justice Department, the AP reported.
wftv.comFired Memphis EMT says police impeded Tyre Nichols' care
Long gave a detailed account of what officers, Nichols and he himself said. They continued to impede his care, Long said. Long also acknowledged that Nichols never verbally refused care from the EMTs, and he spent several minutes without directly engaging with Nichols. Holloway praised the actions that Long took and said that if he had touched Nichols, Long may have been in danger of accusations of assaulting him. One board member suggested that Nichols could have been moving away from Long because Nichols was scared of being beaten again.
wftv.comFired Memphis EMT says police impeded Tyre Nichols' care
Long gave a detailed account of what officers, Nichols and he himself said. They continued to impede his care, Long said. Long also acknowledged that Nichols never verbally refused care from the EMTs, and he spent several minutes without directly engaging with Nichols. Holloway praised the actions that Long took and said that if he had touched Nichols, Long may have been in danger of accusations of assaulting him. One board member suggested that Nichols could have been moving away from Long because Nichols was scared of being beaten again.
wftv.comFired Memphis EMT says police impeded Tyre Nichols' care
A former Memphis Fire Department emergency medical technician has told a Tennessee board that officers “impeded patient care” by refusing to remove Tyre Nichols’ handcuffs, which would have allowed EMTs to check Nichols' vital signs after he was brutally beaten by police.
Fired Memphis EMT says police impeded Tyre Nichols' care
A former Memphis Fire Department emergency medical technician told a Tennessee board Friday that officers “impeded patient care” by refusing to remove Tyre Nichols ' handcuffs, which would have allowed EMTs to check his vital signs after he was brutally beaten by police. Robert Long, whose license was suspended for failing to give aid to Nichols and who has also been fired, appeared by livestream before the state Emergency Medical Services Board to share his version of events.
news.yahoo.comDocuments detail EMTs' failure to aid Tyre Nichols
The Nichols case has intensified calls for police reform in Memphis and around the country. Documents provided to The Associated Press on Thursday were tied to the Tennessee Emergency Medical Services Division's decision Feb. 3 to suspend the licenses of Sandridg e and Long. Nichols' vital signs were not checked, he did not receive high-flow oxygen or an intravenous line, and he was not placed on a heart monitor, the documents showed. They also did not perform a secondary examination, which is used to establish any non-life-threatening injuries, the documents showed. from incompetent health care practices of other emergency medical services personnel,” officials said in the documents.
wftv.comDocuments detail EMTs' failure to aid Tyre Nichols
Documents provided to The Associated Press show that two Memphis Fire Department emergency medical technicians who were fired and had their licenses suspended for failing to give aid to Tyre Nichols for 19 minutes after he was brutally beaten by police did not perform basic examinations, including checking his vital signs.
4th Fire Department employee probed in Tyre Nichols case
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — (AP) — A top city official said Tuesday that a fourth Memphis Fire Department employee is being investigated as part of the probe into the violent arrest and death of Tyre Nichols. Memphis Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Sink told reporters the city hasn't made a final decision on what consequences the employee may face, according to The Commercial Appeal. Three other fire employees who were present at the site of the arrest have been fired. They were fired after a police investigation into the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who died in a hospital three days later. One other officer who was involved in the initial traffic stop has also been fired, and an additional officer who has not been identified has been suspended.
wftv.comMother of Tyre Nichols reacts to five ex-officers who pleaded not guilty in beating death of her son
The five former Memphis police officers charged with murder in the beating death of Tyre Nichols, a Black man, pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges at Shelby County Criminal Court in Tennessee on Friday. “They didn't even have the courage to look at me in my face after what they did to my son,” RowVaughn Wells, Nichols's mother, said at a press conference after the arraignments.
news.yahoo.com5 Memphis officers plead not guilty in death of Tyre Nichols
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — (AP) — Five former Memphis police officers pleaded not guilty Friday to second-degree murder and other charges in the violent arrest and death of Tyre Nichols. The officers were fired after an internal police investigation into the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who died in a hospital three days later. The officers pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. She disbanded the Scorpion unit, which she created in November 2021, after Nichols' death. ___For more of AP's coverage on Tyre Nichols' death: https://apnews.com/hub/tyre-nicholsCopyright 2023 The Associated Press.
wftv.com5 former officers charged in Tyre Nichols’ death plead not guilty
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Five former Memphis police officers will appear Friday in court after being charged with murder and other crimes in the death of Tyre Nichols last month, according to WHBQ-TV. The videos released by police showed officers beating Nichols for at least two minutes and offering only minimal medical attention for more than 20 minutes afterward. An independent autopsy later found that Nichols died from “extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating,” WHBQ reported. Nichols’ death jolted Memphis, according to WHBQ, and prompted outrage nationwide. In the aftermath of the beating, police also fired a sixth Memphis police officer seen on camera tasing Nichols, WHBQ reported.
wftv.comMemphis officers to appear in court in death of Tyre Nichols
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — (AP) — Five former Memphis police officers are making their first court appearance Friday on murder and other charges in the violent arrest and death of Tyre Nichols. The officers were fired after an internal Memphis Police Department investigation into the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who died in a hospital three days later. Nichols' death is the latest police killing to prompt nationwide protests and renew an intense public discussion about police brutality. She disbanded the Scorpion unit, which she created in November 2021, after Nichols' death. ___For more of AP's coverage on Tyre Nichols' death: https://apnews.com/hub/tyre-nicholsCopyright 2023 The Associated Press.
wftv.comMemphis officers to appear in court in death of Tyre Nichols
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — (AP) — Five former Memphis police officers are making their first court appearance Friday on murder and other charges in the violent arrest and death of Tyre Nichols. The officers were fired after an internal Memphis Police Department investigation into the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who died in a hospital three days later. Nichols' death is the latest police killing to prompt nationwide protests and renew an intense public discussion about police brutality. She disbanded the Scorpion unit, which she created in November 2021, after Nichols' death. ___For more of AP's coverage on Tyre Nichols' death: https://apnews.com/hub/tyre-nicholsCopyright 2023 The Associated Press.
wftv.comFormer officers to appear before judge in Tyre Nichols death
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — (AP) — Five former Memphis police officers were scheduled to make their first court appearance Friday on murder and other charges in the violent arrest and death of Tyre Nichols. The officers were fired after an internal Memphis Police Department investigation into the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who died in a hospital three days later. Nichols' death is the latest police killing to prompt nationwide protests and an intense public discussion about police brutality. An officer hit Nichols with a stun gun, but Nichols ran away toward his nearby home, according to video released by the city. She disbanded the Scorpion unit, which she created in November 2021, after Nichols' death.
wftv.comBiden takes new steps to address racial inequality in gov't
WASHINGTON — (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered the federal government to do more to address racial inequality as the challenges and complexities of systemic racism are again drawing the public's attention. The new order also directs federal agencies to have equity teams and name senior leaders who would be accountable for increasing equity and addressing bias. Federal agencies would need to improve the quality and frequency of their engagement with communities that have faced systemic discrimination. Under the order, agencies must also focus on new civil rights threats, such as discrimination in automated technology and access for people with disabilities and for those who speak languages other than English. It also includes a push to improve the collection, transparency and analysis of data to help improve equity.
wftv.comBiden taking new steps to address racial inequality in gov't
WASHINGTON — (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to order the federal government to do more to address racial inequality. The problem also extends to racial disparities in wealth, housing, crime and education that reflect decades of discriminatory policies. The new order also directs federal agencies to have equity teams and name senior leaders who would be accountable for increasing equity and addressing bias. Federal agencies would need to improve the quality and frequency of their engagement with communities that have faced systemic discrimination. It also includes a push to improve the collection, transparency and analysis of data to help improve equity.
wftv.comDeputies suspended in Nichols case didn't turn on body cams
Shelby County Sheriff's Office deputies Jeremy Watkins and Johntavious Bowers each violated multiple policies after they reported to the location of Nichols' violent arrest on Jan. 7, Sheriff Floyd Bonner said in a statement. Five Memphis officers accused of beating Nichols have been fired and charged with second-degree murder. The sheriff’s office previously had said two deputies who went to the scene after Nichols was beaten had been disciplined and were under investigation. Watkins also did not report on his daily log that he went to the arrest location, according to the reports. Bonner said the sheriff's office does not believe that the deputies will face criminal charges.
wftv.comDeputies suspended in Nichols case didn't keep body cams on
Authorities say two sheriff’s deputies who have been suspended for five days for their role in the arrest of Tyre Nichols failed to keep their body cameras activated after they went to the location where Nichols had been beaten by five Memphis police officers.
Oregon joins debate over police education requirements
Police departments have wrestled for years with officer education requirements. The bill would set police education requirements in state law. Many police agencies that do have college credit requirements waive them if a candidate has military or law enforcement experience. While testifying against the Oregon bill on Tuesday, PPB Capt. Even if it’s not mandated, many police officers choose to pursue higher education in order to be eligible for higher salaries or promotions.
wftv.comUnion: Fired EMTs didn't get enough info in Nichols response
Nichols, who is Black, was beaten by Memphis police after he was pulled over Jan. 7 for an alleged traffic violation. However, police Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis has said publicly released footage failed to show why Nichols was stopped at all. Memphis city spokeswoman Arlenia Cole told the Daily Memphian that all three former fire department employees have appealed their firings. Whitaker remained in the vehicle with the driver during the response to Nichols’ beating, the department said. “They were reacting to what they saw, what they were told at the scene,” Sweat recently told city council members.
wftv.comUnion: Fired EMTs didn't get enough info in Nichols response
The head of a union representing most of the Memphis Fire Department said three employees who were fired after the death of Tyre Nichols weren’t given enough information as they responded to the call for medical help. Thomas Malone, president of the Memphis Fire Fighters Association, also wrote in a letter to city councilmembers that information was withheld from those first responders by people on the scene. Nichols, who is Black, was beaten by Memphis police after he was pulled over Jan. 7 for an alleged traffic violation.
news.yahoo.com1st officer in Nichols arrest accused of brutality at prison
An email was sent Friday to a police spokesperson asking if the department knew about the allegations when Haley was hired. That wouldn't have made a difference in Haley's case because his job at the county prison didn't require police certification. It accused Haley and another officer of punching him, and a third of slamming his head into the floor. A sixth officer who participated in Nichols' arrest and beating, Preston Hemphill, has been fired but not criminally charged. Van Turner, president of the NAACP’s Memphis branch, said Tyre Nichols’ death could have been prevented if the police department had not hired Haley.
wftv.comMemphis officer took, shared photos of bloodied Tyre Nichols
Documents released Tuesday provide a scathing account of what authorities are calling the “blatantly unprofessional” conduct of five officers involved in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop last month — including new revelations about how one officer took and shared pictures of the bloodied victim.
U2's Bono, family of Tyre Nichols' among Jill Biden's guests
Rock star Bono, the family of Tyre Nichols and the 26-year-old who disarmed a gunman in last month’s Monterey Park, California, shooting were among the featured guests sitting with first lady Jill Biden at Tuesday’s State of the Union address.