A photo of Tyre Nichols is positioned prior to a press conference on Jan. 27 in Memphis, Tenn. Attorneys representing Nichols’ family announced plans to file a civil lawsuit against the city of Memphis, Memphis Police Department, and individual officers for the 29-year-old’s January death.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Scott Olson/Getty Images
The family of Tyre Nichols has announced their plans to file a civil lawsuit against the city of Memphis, its police department and the individual officers involved in the January beating death of Nichols.
The family’s attorneys — Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci — and local counsel, retired Judge Earnestine Hunt Dorse, said in a statement to NPR they will announce the filing of the lawsuit during a news conference at noon local time Wednesday.
The attorneys said they also intend to sue the Memphis Police Department for “intentional infliction of emotional distress for lying to [Tyre Nichols’] mother” about his beating at the hands of police, Crump’s law firm said in a statement.
Nichols, 29, died on Jan. 10, three days after he was stopped by Memphis police for what they called reckless driving. According to initial police reports, officers said the 29-year-old fled the scene but eventually was taken into custody after two “confrontations” with officers.
Nichols had complained of shortness of breath following his arrest and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Five former Memphis police officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — were terminated by the department on Jan. 21. The five officers belonged to a team known as the SCORPION unit, which was deactivated shortly after Nichols’ death.
The five former officers each face several charges, including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. All five officers have pleaded not guilty.
Like Nichols, all of the dismissed officers facing charges are Black.
News of the family’s civil lawsuit filing comes after the city of Memphis announced last month it had completed its investigation into Nichols’ beating death.
In a city council meeting on March 7, the city’s Chief Legal Officer, Jennifer Sink, said the city’s investigation revealed that a total of 13 officers from the Memphis Police Department underwent an administrative investigation for their involvement in Nichols’ death.
Of those, seven were fired, three were suspended and two had internal charges dropped, Sink said.
A police lieutenant, later identified as Dewayne Smith, was able to retire with full benefits before an administrative hearing regarding his involvement could be conducted.