
Regarding alleged civil rights violations that resulted in Tyre Nichols’ death, another former Memphis police officer on Friday altered his plea from not guilty to guilty.
Prosecutors have requested a 40-year sentence for former officer Emmitt Martin, who submitted a change of plea in Memphis before U.S. District Judge Mark Norris.
The former policeman entered a guilty plea to charges of witness tampering and excessive force.
Desmond Mills Jr., a different former Memphis police officer, entered a guilty plea to federal charges of using excessive force and obstructing justice back in November. The accused accepted a plea deal with the prosecution in exchange for a possible 15-year prison sentence.
Outside of court, RowVaughn Wells, the mother of the victim, told reporters, “It felt good to hear him own up to his mistakes at last.” It is something for them to enter a guilty plea. We seem to be moving in the right way and taking ownership of our actions.”
The distraught mother claimed to have just discovered an old text message—the final one she ever sent to Nichols. Her son obediently replied in the affirmative when she requested him to bring some red licorice home.
“This is really challenging. Wells remarked, “I have four kids, and one of them is gone now because of the Memphis Police Department. “Tyre was simply getting home, going about his business, and coming home.”
The 29-year-old Nichols passed away in the hospital a few days after being pulled over on January 7, 2023. On tape, a number of Memphis police officers were seen beating, kicking, and hitting him with a baton.
Stephen Ross Johnson, Martin’s defense attorney, stated that his client is taking ownership of his acts.
Johnson claimed that Emmitt Martin was motivated by rage after he acknowledged on January 7, 2023, that he had used excessive force and violated Mr. Nichols’ civil rights. “When he subsequently tried to hide it, fear of the repercussions of his actions drove him.”
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, the other cops, have entered not-guilty pleas to the federal and state courts pertaining to Nichols, a Black man. Before being dismissed, all five of the officers—who are also Black—were placed on administrative leave.
“The dominoes are beginning to fall,” stated Ben Crump, a family lawyer. “We anticipate that the other officers will follow suit.”
A number of fatal encounters in the early 2020s, including the death of Nichols, brought attention to the use of force by police against Black individuals. His name is frequently brought up in the same sentence as Daunte Wright, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.
Nichols was allegedly stopped by police for careless driving, but Memphis police subsequently claimed that there was insufficient evidence to justify the stop.
Nichols took off on foot, and when the police apprehended him, he was only a block away from his mother and stepfather’s residence.
On camera, he was given a kick to the head and struck with batons while yelling for his mother.
Crump stated he’s never sure there will be convictions against police, even in cases with copious amounts of video.
“We never take for granted that police officers who kill Black people in America will be held accountable and given actual prison sentences,” he stated. “Typically, we witness a reprimand.”
On December 5, the former cop is expected to be sentenced.