Jury from outside Memphis to hear case of former officers in Tyre Nichols' death

In the United States, a judge has ordered that the trial of three former Memphis police officers charged with the second-degree murder of Tyre Nichols will take place with a jury from outside of Memphis. The decision comes amid growing concerns over the potential for bias in a local jury pool due to the high-profile nature of the case. The officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, entered not guilty pleas regarding their involvement in Nichols' death, which occurred following a violent traffic stop on January 7, 2023. Nichols, who was 29 years old, died three days after being severely beaten by the officers during the traffic stop. A significant portion of this confrontation was captured on police video, which showed officers employing pepper spray and a Taser, ultimately leading to Nichols fleeing the scene. The officers pursued him and were recorded kicking, punching, and striking him with a baton close to his home, all while Nichols called out for his mother amidst the violence. In the aftermath of Nichols' death, the five officers involved were fired and subsequently charged with murder. They also faced separate federal grand jury charges related to civil rights violations and witness tampering. Notably, two of the officers, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., are expected to change their not guilty pleas. They have already pleaded guilty to federal charges in a plea deal, while the three officers continuing their defense were previously tried and convicted on lesser charges associated with witness tampering during a cover-up of the beating. The federal case against the former officers is still ongoing, with sentencing awaiting completion. The events surrounding Tyre Nichols have brought the Memphis Police Department under scrutiny, particularly regarding excessive use of force and discriminatory practices against Black individuals. A Justice Department investigation spanning 17 months has highlighted systemic issues within the department, which employs a majority Black workforce and is under the leadership of a Black police chief, Cerelyn “CJ” Davis. The officers were part of a specialized crime suppression team, known as the Scorpion Unit, intended to target drug-related activities and violent crime, often resulting in aggressive tactics employed against unarmed individuals. Following the outcry from Nichols' case and similar situations, the Scorpion Unit has since been disbanded.