Former Memphis police officer Emmitt Martin III testified in federal court that police officers violated protocol when they used excessive force against Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop on January 7, 2023. Martin admitted to initiating the stop because he was angry and hadn’t made an arrest yet, even though Nichols posed no threat.
Despite no warrants for his arrest or a violent offense record, Martin radioed for a felony stop, leading to Nichols’ brutal beating and subsequent death. The officers, including Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, have pleaded not guilty to charges of excessive force and witness tampering.
Martin and another officer, Desmond Mills Jr., have pleaded guilty. The officers, part of the Scorpion unit, were fired for violating police policies and involved in Nichols’ tragic death, reigniting calls for police reform and justice for the victim.
Rebecca Byrd reported from Memphis, Tenn., and Deon J. Hampton from Denver.