MEMPHIS – The Memphis Police Department confirmed Monday that a sixth officer has been fired in connection with the incident. Death of Dyer Nicholas.
Earlier this month, five officers were fired by the department soon after being placed on leave He was charged last week with second-degree murder Mr. In connection with the death of Nichols. A sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, has been placed on administrative leave; According to the police report, on the night of January 7, another officer, Mr. Shortly after Nichols was dragged away, Mr. He used a Taser that hit Nichols in the torso.
A department spokeswoman confirmed Monday that Officer Hemphill was placed on leave the same day other officers were suspended.
Police officers Mr. After kicking Nichols in the head, pepper-spraying him and dragging him away, he was repeatedly beaten with batons. Showed no signs of fighting back In videos of the incident released on Friday. Mr. Nichols, a 29-year-old black man, died at the hospital three days after the encounter. Officer Hemphill White; Five of the officers charged in the incident are black.
Officer Hemphill’s attorney, Lee Gerald, said in a statement that one of four videos of the encounter released by the city Friday, dubbed Video 1, shows Officer Hemphill’s body from the camera.
“He was never at the second scene,” where officers said Mr. Nichols was caught after a short foot chase and severely beaten, Mr. Gerald said of Officer Hemphill. He added that his client is “cooperating with the authorities in this investigation”.
Others involved in the January 7 encounter have also been dismissed. On Monday, city officials said they had fired three members of the fire department — two emergency medical technicians and a lieutenant. The head of the department, Gina Swett, said they “failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment”.
Two other Shelby County sheriff’s deputies have been placed on leave pending an investigation into their involvement in the encounter, Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. said Friday night.
This is a growing story. Check back for updates.
