A second former Memphis police officer changed his plea to guilty Friday in connection with alleged civil rights violations in the beating death of Dyer Nichols.
The plea change for former officer Emmitt Martin was made in U.S. District Judge Mark Norris’ court in Memphis. Prosecutors said they would ask for a 40-year prison sentence.
The former police officer pleaded guilty to using excessive force and tampering with witnesses.
In November, another former Memphis officer, Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty to federal charges of excessive force and obstruction of justice. The defendant agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and commuted to 15 years in prison.
“It was good to finally hear that he pleaded guilty,” the victim’s mother, Rowan Wells, told reporters outside court. “It’s one thing for them to plead guilty. I feel like we’re going in the right direction and taking responsibility.”
The grieving mother said she had recently found an old text message which was her last exchange with Nicholas. She asked him to bring home red licorice and her son dutifully said yes.
“It’s really hard. I have four kids and one of my kids is gone now because of the Memphis Police Department,” Wells said. “Tyre was just coming home, minding his own business, he was coming home.”
Nichols, 29, died on Jan. 7, 2023, several days after a traffic stop at the hospital. Several Memphis police officers were caught on camera kicking, punching and beating him with batons.
Martin’s defense attorney, Stephen Ross Johnson, said his client takes responsibility for his actions.
“On January 7, 2023, Emmitt Martin, driven by anger, admitted to violating Mr. Nichols’ civil rights and using excessive force,” Johnson said. “And then when he tried to cover it up he was driven by fear — fear of the consequences of what he had done.”
The other officers — Thaddeus Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith — pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges related to Nichols. He was black. All five officers, who are black, were placed on administrative leave before they were eventually fired.
“The dominoes are starting to fall,” said family attorney Ben Crump. “We expect other authorities to do the same.”
Nichols’ killing was one of several deadly confrontations in the early 2020s that shone a new light on police use of force against black people. His name is often mentioned in the same breath as George Floyd, Brona Taylor and Dante Wright.
Officers allegedly pulled Nichols over for reckless driving, but Memphis police later said there was no evidence to support the stop.
Nichols fled on foot, and when officers caught up with him, the teenager was a block away from where his mother and stepfather lived.
The video shows him being kicked in the head and attacked by goons for calling his mother.
Despite the extensive video, Crump said he never believed there would be convictions against the police.
“You know we never take for granted that police officers are going to be held accountable for killing black people in America and get actual jail time,” he said. “Typically, we see a slap in the wrist.”
The former officer is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5.
Priscilla Thompson And Associated Press Contributed.
