Context:

Three former Memphis police officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, will face a trial with an out-of-town jury on second-degree murder charges for the beating death of Tyre Nichols following a traffic stop in 2023. The incident, captured on police video, led to national protests and increased calls for police reform, highlighting issues within the Memphis Police Department. The trial will be held outside Shelby County due to concerns about impartiality, with jury selection taking place in Hamilton County. Two other officers involved, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., are also charged but are expected to change their pleas in state court, having already pleaded guilty to federal charges. The five officers, part of the now-disbanded Scorpion Unit, faced federal indictments for civil rights violations, with some acquitted of certain charges but convicted of others, underscoring systemic issues of excessive force and discrimination within the police force.

Dive Deeper:

• The trial of former Memphis police officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith is set to begin with a jury from Hamilton County due to concerns of impartiality in Shelby County, where the incident occurred.

• Tyre Nichols, a Black man, was beaten by the officers during a traffic stop in 2023, leading to his death three days later and sparking national protests and discussions on police reform.

• The officers involved have been charged with second-degree murder, among other charges, and face sentencing for federal charges following the state trial.

• Video evidence shows the officers using pepper spray and a Taser on Nichols before physically assaulting him, actions that prompted laughter and casual conversations among the officers as Nichols struggled.

• Two of the officers, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., have pleaded guilty to federal charges and are expected to change their pleas in state court, while the other three officers face varying federal convictions.

• A US Justice Department investigation revealed systemic issues within the Memphis Police Department, including excessive force and racial discrimination, despite a majority-Black police force and leadership.

• The Scorpion Unit, to which the officers belonged, was disbanded following the incident, having been criticized for its aggressive tactics aimed at drug and violent crime suppression.