Seven more Memphis Police Department employees are under investigation for their roles in the cover-up of the Tyre Nichols murder.
The employees’ identities have not been made public, but City Attorney Jennifer Sink confirmed on Tuesday that seven additional officers are expected to receive a statement of charges. This document will outline their “policy violations” in connection to the aftermath of Nichols’ brutal beating and subsequent death.
During Tuesday’s city council meeting, Sink said the officers had been implicated on administrative charges in the death. They will each receive their statement of charges by the end of this week, with administrative hearings scheduled for next week.
“There are seven additional officers who are under investigation,” Sink said. “The administrative investigation is still ongoing, and so this information is subject to change. The administrative investigation is solely to determine if city policies were violated and what disciplinary action should be taken. The criminal investigation is being handled by the TBI (Tennesse Bureau of Investigation) and DA.”
Five officers have been indicted for Nichols’ murder. Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith all face second-degree murder charges, in addition to charges of aggravated assault, official oppression, and official misconduct. They were each recorded on bodycam footage brutally beating Nichols during a traffic stop in Memphis on January 7th. He was tasered, punched, and kicked by all five officers and ultimately succumbed to his brutal injuries on January 10th. About ten members of law enforcement responded to the scene of the beating, all of which are being investigated.
Police Chief Cerelyn Davis told council members during Tuesday’s meeting that “a lot went wrong” during that fateful traffic stop. She attributes part of the issues to a “wolf-pack mentality” and “ego” that was able to fester due to a lack of supervision.
Sink said more information would be public next week, including the seven additional employees’ violations and names. According to WREG Memphis, with the addition of the seven officers under investigation, a total of 13 officers are facing discipline.
