MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Another former officer connected to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis last year changed his plea to guilty Friday after coming to an agreement with prosecutors.
Emmitt Martin is the second officer involved in the Jan. 7, 2023 death of Nichols who has changed his plea to guilty. In November, former Memphis officer Desmond Mills Jr. also changed his plea to guilty to federal charges, including excessive force and obstruction of justice.
Nichols died in a hospital three days after he was beaten by Memphis police officers following a traffic stop.
Martin and Mills are among five Black former officers with Memphis PD who are facing state charges for second-degree murder and were indicted last year federal charges of excessive force, failure to intervene, and obstruction of justice.
The three other former officers pleaded not guilty to all federal and state charges. Their federal trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 9.
It was not known yet whether Martin will also change his plea to the state charges.
Nichols’ family, along with civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, said at a news conference on Friday they felt the case was starting to move in the right direction with the latest plea.
More on the Tyre Nichols case and pending trials.
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