Five Memphis police officers charged with assaulting and killing Tyre Nichols have been arrested. The officers have since been terminated and footage of the assault is expected to be released on Jan. 27.
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The five police officers charged with the assault of Memphis native Tyre Nichols, were fired on Jan. 20 and booked into Shelby County Jail on Jan. 26. The disgraced officers bonded on Jan. 27.
The charges for each police officer include official misconduct, official oppression, second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated kidnapping, according to Fox 13 Memphis.
Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old man from Memphis, was assaulted on Jan. 7 during a traffic stop in his neighborhood. Nichols passed away from his injuries on Jan. 10.
In a Thursday press conference, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said the video footage of the assault is to be released around 6 p.m. on Jan. 27. In a video, Nichols’ mother asked attendees at her son’s vigil not to riot when the video is released.
One user on Twitter says the video. “must be bad” if riots are being planned after the footage is released.
A narrative floating around Twitter says since all cops were Black, it is not racist. However, it is still police brutality. In the past, Atlanta rapper T.I. has said police brutality is a problem overall, not just racial.
One mother who also spoke out about her son being murdered was Michelle Kenney, whose son Antwon Rose, Jr., was fatally shot by police in 2016.
An investigation has been commenced by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to investigate the use of force by police officers.
Cases such as Nichols’s murder have happened in the past where Black people were assaulted or killed. Texas woman Atatiana Jefferson was shot fatally in her home in 2019, and the police officer who shot her was found guilty of manslaughter.
Rap legend Jay-Z has been a notable advocate of prison and police reform. With his company, Roc Nation, Jay-Z has started a social justice coalition and has worked with departments across the country to fire and arrest corrupt police officers.
Memphis rapper CMG boss Yo Gotti has worked with Roc Nation as well, including speaking at summits to promote prison and police reform.
