Former officer charged with Tyre Nichols’ murder expected to change plea in federal court
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) - One of the five former Memphis police officers charged with the murder of Tyre Nichols, will change his plea from not guilty in federal court on Thursday, according to his attorney.
Desmond Mills, along with Demetrius Haley, Emmett Martin III, Justin Smith and Tadarius Bean, were charged with second-degree murder in connection to Nichols’ death. The five officers were caught on camera beating Nichols on Jan. 7, 2023.
Nichold died three days later.
The five former officers have pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in court.
In September, they were all indicted by a federal grand jury on charges indicating they violated Nichols’ civil rights. The four counts include:
- Deprivation of rights under color of law: Excessive force and failure to intervene
- Deprivation of rights under color of law: Deliberate indifference
- Conspiracy to witness-tamper
- Obstruction of justice: witness-tampering
Mills’ attorney Blake Ballin confirmed his client plans to change his plea from not guilty to guilty in the federal case Thursday morning.
Nichols, 29, died in the hospital several days after he was beaten during a traffic stop. The attack was captured on video.
According to his decertification request filed by Police Chief CJ Davis, Mills is the former officer seen on video striking Nichols with a baton three times on the night of his fatal beating.
His statement of charges reads “Although you did not assist with handcuffing the subject, your use of force behavior was excessive, unnecessary, and caused serious bodily injury.”
The Memphis Police Department says when Mills and his supervisor talked to Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, the night of the beating, they “did not obtain her contact information” and “refused to provide an accurate account of her son’s encounter with police or his condition.”
Mills also removed his camera on the scene, according to MPD.
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