MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Police Department has released the files of Officer Marshall Smith, whom police identified as the man who shot and killed a father during a child custody exchange.
His personnel file reveals he was hired in October 2008 as a recruit but was fired two months later after failing to make it out of the police academy.
In June 2009, he reapplied and passed the training test.
The files also show Smith was the subject of two prior internal investigations, though neither was sustained.
In both cases, Smith was accused of using excessive and unnecessary force in incidents at Second Street and Beale Street.
In December 2012, Mario Woods, said he was trying to get keys from a friend who was taken into custody and in Smith’s car. Woods said Smith cursed at him, sprayed him with mace, threw him to the ground, kicked him and hit him with his baton.
Woods said he suffered several injuries.
Smith said Woods was aggressive when he approached the car and demanded his friend be released. Smith said he refused to comply with verbal commands. When other officers arrived at the scene, Smith said Woods struggled with them and fell, which is what caused his injuries.
The other case happened June 19, 2015.
According to police, Demetrius Brady was drunk and walking with friends on Second and Beale. Police approached the group, and Brady yelled at the officers.
Brady said Smith slammed him to the ground and handcuffed him. When Brady kept cursing at the officers, he said they rammed his head into the pavement and punched him in the face several times.
Smith said Brady was approaching one of the officers aggressively, so he grabbed him. Brady then hit him and knocked off his glasses, Smith said. Brady’s face hit the ground as officers grabbed him and handcuffed him.
Brady kept fighting and called the officers racists, Smith said. The officers hit him in the chest and shoulder in order to get him under control and put him in handcuffs, according to the police file.