USA
Tire Nichols beaten to death during traffic stop: New charges against five ex-police officers
The African-American Tire Nichols was only 29 years old
© Lucy Garrett/Getty Images
On January 7, Tire Nichols was brutally beaten by several police officers during a traffic stop. He died in hospital three days later. The alleged perpetrators were charged with murder – and now have to answer in federal proceedings.
The five US police officers charged with the killing of Black Tire Nichols in Memphis now also have to answer in federal proceedings. They are accused of civil wrongdoing, collusion and cover-up, the US Department of Justice said on Tuesday. Nichols, 29, was on a traffic stop on January 7th was brutally beaten by police officers and died from his injuries in hospital three days later. The case sparked protests and reignited the debate about police violence in the United States.
According to the allegations, the five defendants deliberately ignored how urgently Nichols needed medical attention. Afterwards, they also tried to cover up their crime, the ministry said. For example, the defendants did not inform the operations management at headquarters or their superiors about their actions during the check.
Tire Nichols: Police officers pleaded not guilty
The five black police officers, aged between 28 and 33, were fired and charged after the incident. They have already been accused in criminal proceedings of, among other things, second-degree murder – an intermediate step between murder and manslaughter. The ex-cops pleaded not guilty in February.
In the USA, the police have long been criticized. She is accused of excessively brutal and sometimes racially motivated use of violence. In the past, such operations that got out of control repeatedly triggered violent protests. The killing of the African American George Floyd in May 2020 led to nationwide demonstrations against racism and police violence. In Memphis, the US Department of Justice ordered an investigation into police practices after Nichols’ death.
Watch the video: On August 24, a pregnant woman was shot dead in her car by police in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. The bodycam footage of one of the police officers has now been released. The family of the murdered Ta’Kiya Young is demanding clarification.