WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A federal grand jury has indicted five former Memphis police officers over the death of Tyre Nichols, a Black man who died after being beaten by police in January, according to a court document filed Tuesday.
Police video captured images of the officers beating and kicking Nichols, hitting him with a baton, spraying him with pepper spray and firing a stun gun at him on Jan. 7 following a traffic stop. The case renewed a national discussion of race relations and police brutality.
The five former officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith – pleaded not guilty in February to second-degree murder and other charges brought by a local prosecutor. All five officers are Black.
According to Tuesday’s indictment, they have been charged with four federal counts including “Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law: Excessive Force and Failure to Intervene.” Other counts include conspiracy to witness tamper and obstruction of justice.
(Reporting by Eric Beech and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Caitlin Webber)
