Sacked cops whose fatal beating of Tyre Nichols was caught on video have denied his murder
17 February 2023, 16:53
Five police officers whose roadside beating of Tyre Nichols left him with fatal wounds have denied his murder.
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Horror footage showed Memphis cops Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr, Emmitt Martin III, Justin Smith punching and kicking the unarmed victim on January 7.
Nichols, 29, died in hospital three days later.
He had been pulled over by police for alleged reckless driving.
The five men were sacked from their jobs at the Memphis police department.
They all wore masks in the courtroom earlier today.
Desmond Mills Jr's lawyer Blake Ballins said: "Much has been said about the ways the system has failed Mr. Nichols.
"I will work tirelessly to make sure the system does not fail Mr Mills and that a fair outcome is achieved."
Nichols' mother said she felt "very numb" on the first day of the men's trial in Shelby County, Tennessee.
RowVaughn Nichols said: "I am waiting for for somebody to wake me up from this nightmare. I also know, that that is not going to happen.
"I know my son is gone. I know I'll never see him again.
"But we have to start this process of justice right now. I want each and every one of these police officers to look me in the face - they haven't done that yet.
"They didn't have the courage to look at me in my face after what they did to my son. 'They're going to see me at every court day until we get justice for my son."
Tyre Nichols
