MEMPHIS — Monday, the first day of the state trial for three former Memphis police officers charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols, included testimony from the mother on the witness stand in a trial that could last weeks.
Former officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith are facing second-degree murder in connection with the fatal beating of Nichols during a traffic stop on Jan. 7, 2023.
The 29-year-old Black man was pulled over under the pretext of reckless driving, a claim that has been widely disputed. Body camera footage captured the events that followed, showing officers using pepper spray and a Taser on Nichols before pursuing him on foot. The chase culminated in Nichols being beaten near his home, where he called out for his mother. Nichols died due to his injuries three days later in a hospital. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide due to severe head trauma.
The trial is expected to last three to four weeks, drawing significant media attention and public interest, particularly given the national outcry for police reform that Nichols’ death ignited.
The jury was selected from Chattanooga to mitigate potential bias from pretrial publicity in Memphis.
More on the first day of Tyre Nichols state trial in Memphis.
