The family of Tyre Nichols, who died after a traffic check descended into a police assault, is urging calm ahead of the release of the footage of the police confrontation. Nichols passed away days after the January 7 encounter with five former police officers, who are now accused of his murder.
Family members and authorities claim that the incident’s body camera footage shows that Nichols was severely beaten.
His family says they don’t “want any type of disturbance” when the footage is made public, as reported by the BBC.
“We want peaceful protests,” stepfather Rodney Wells said during a press conference on Friday afternoon. “That’s what the family wants. That’s what the community wants.
The family’s civil rights lawyer, Ben Crump, commended Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis for her “swift” response in arresting the officers and called it a “blueprint for America.”
Charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression are leveled against all five of the officers.
Also watch | Tyre Nichols death: Lawyers say two US police officers will plead ‘not guilty’
On Thursday (January 26), Justin Smith, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, and Demetrius Haley were all sentenced. They were all sacked last week after joining the Memphis Police Department within the past six years.
On Friday (January 27), four distinct clips from the Nichols incident’s footage were expected to be released. The incident is believed to have put the Tennessee city on edge, and police, therefore, have increased patrols.
(With inputs from agencies)
