Tyre Nichols Trial: Ex-Memphis Cop Admits Assault, Lied About Attack

A former Memphis police officer admitted to lying about the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols this week.
On Tuesday, Emmitt Martin III took the stand to testify in the case against three former Memphis police officers accused of civil rights violations in the death of Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who was beaten to death in January 2023.
During his testimony, Martin, a former Memphis police officer, testified that he beat a “helpless” Nichols during the traffic stop and then ultimately lied to his supervisor about the incident. Martin said that he punched Nichols at least five times, while two other officers held his arms and said to “hit him.”
“They were assaulting him,” Martin said during his testimony.
The former officers are on trial for federal civil rights violations, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Rogers arguing in opening statements that they were punishing Tyre Nichols for fleeing a traffic stop. Rogers referenced the police slang “run tax,” which describes disciplining someone for attempting to escape.
Martin testified that two other former officers, Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith, were seen punching Nichols after chasing him down.
Bean, Smith, and Demetrius Haley have entered not-guilty pleas to charges of depriving Tyre Nichols of his civil rights by using excessive force and failing to intervene, as well as obstructing justice by tampering with witnesses.
The four men, along with Desmond Mills Jr., were dismissed from the police department following Tyre Nichols’ death, which was captured on police video and made public. All five officers were later indicted by a federal grand jury. Martin and Mills have since accepted plea deals and are now testifying against their former colleagues.
During the trial on Tuesday, jurors were shown video clips of the incident as Nichols’ mother and stepfather, RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, sat outside. Nichols’ mother has yet to see the video of the arrest and the fatal beating of her son.
Martin also testified that he became angry after Nichols fled from the traffic stop, noting that his team of officers had not made any arrests on that night.
“I figured that’s what he should get,” Martin testified.
Martin admitted to kicking Tyre Nichols, while Mills struck him with a baton. Martin then said he punched Nichols at least five times as Bean and Smith restrained his arms and encouraged the assault. Despite holding Nichols’ arms, the officers continued to shout commands for him to give them his hands.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.