► Update: City announces review of MPD special units, use of force
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — While only five now-former Memphis Police officers are currently facing criminal charges in connection to the beating of Tyre Nichols, that number soon could change.
A spokesperson for the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Friday that more charges could be coming.
In a statement, the spokesperson said, “There have been questions about other officers and Fire Department personnel on the scene, persons remotely operating cameras, and the potential of false reporting. We are now at the stage of our investigation where we are looking into all of these matters. We must reemphasize that the current charges do not preclude us from adding additional charges.”
In an interview with CNN, District Attorney Steve Mulroy told them that there is up to 20 hours of unreleased footage relating to Tyre Nichols. Four surveillance and police body cam videos totaling about an hour of footage were released to the public last Friday.
► Tyre Nichols video shows what happened in fatal Memphis traffic stop
Officials have said the additional footage would be released after an investigation. A spokesperson with the city of Memphis confirmed to WREG that a family attorney has reviewed that footage.
The city says it could be a few weeks before additional footage is made public. We have reached out to MPD for an update and are still waiting to hear back.
This week the world mourned the loss of Nichols, 29, who died Jan. 10, three days after a traffic stop in the Hickory Hill neighborhood that left him fighting for his life.
Police videos showed several officers beating, kicking and pepper spraying him, then leaving him propped up in the street until medical staff arrived.
The release of police videos from that night sparked multiple investigations leading to five MPD officers facing criminal charges, three MFD EMTs being fired and two Shelby County Sheriff deputies under investigation. Two more MPD officers were relieved of duty pending investigations.
Friday, the state voted to suspend the licenses of the three EMTs. Memphis Police are asking the state to decertify the five former officers.
Justin Smith, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, Demetrius Haley and Tadarrius Bean were charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct, and official oppression for their alleged treatment of Nichols.
Meanwhile, as the community awaits the results from multiple investigations, Nichols’ family has vowed to see this to the very end.
“This is a continuous fight that we have to fight for. We have to fight for justice. We cannot continue to let these people brutalize our kids,” said his stepfather, Rodney Wells.
