Tyre Nichols murdered by cops, community responds

By NAYABA ARINDE Amsterdam News Editor

“Tyre Nichols was publicly lynched. He is a victim of the chronically toxic police culture that too often treats Black and brown people as inconvenient and disposable objects,” said Marquez Claxton, director of public relations and political affairs for the Black Law Enforcement Alliance.

The deadly Memphis police beating of Nichols, which was filmed on multiple body and street cameras and televised on Jan. 27th, has got the nation talking and protesting.

The sheer barbarism of the deadly assault has talking heads and news anchors tearing up and referencing their own sons. With five Black police officers quickly arrested and charged, this particular murder touched everyone. The peaceful protests the police, politicians and some community advocates were prepped to call for, resulted in the days-later standing down of the white cop Preston Hemphill, who tried to taser Tyre and called on him to be stomped; and three EMTs who seemed to be derelict in their duty to render adequate assistance to the battered and bruised Nichols.

On Jan. 30th, an emotional Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. hosted a candlelight vigil

“to grieve and uplift Nichols’ memory” on the steps of Queens Borough Hall.

“Tyre Nichols was a beloved son. Tyre Nichols was a devoted father. Tyre Nichols was a dedicated friend, a talented skateboarder, and a positive influence on so many in his community.

Tyre Nichols should be alive today. Instead, he is yet another social media hashtag and the latest name to be carved into the never-ending list of innocent lives lost at the hands of law enforcement,” said Richards.

“This hurt I feel and we all feel as we watch the video of Tyre’s lynching is devastating, but we don’t have to process it alone,” he added as he urged the community to join him at the vigil to “honor Tyre Nichols’ life and demand accountability for the officers and the system that stole it.”

As police training and reform become the buzzword responses on mainstream media by politicos, police misconduct apologists, and other hopeful activists, NYC Councilman

Charles Barron maintains that you cannot reform grandfathered-in police culture that leads to the killing of countless unarmed Black and brown people.

The response to the Tyre Nichols killing “has to be connected to something of substance,” Barron said.

“It is time to bring before the people the Community Power Act [Intro 0463], calling for an elected Civilian Complaint Review Board and Independent Agency Oversight of police misconduct.”

Saying that the people of the city should elect the CCRB, Barron determined, “History has clearly shown that even with the clear and compelling evidence of video documentation, the bias and racism of the justice system has not signifi- cantly changed. It is time to demand a hearing or discharge bill to the full council in seeking the passage of the Community Power Act into law. Intro 04632022 Community Power Act [a local law to amend the New York City charter and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to creating an elected civilian review board and independent prosecutor in repealing the civilian complaint review board and independent police investigation and audit board].”

Famed writer, author, speaker and historian—and Amsterdam News reporter and columnist—Herb Boyd wrote in this week’s paper that “Each day brings more arrests—now up to seven officers and three Memphis Fire Department personnel—and what might have been the motivation of these officers, including investigations that one of the officers might have targeted Nichols for a relationship with his ex-wife. What is absolutely incontrovertibly true are the words of Cerelyn Davis, the Memphis police chief, who defined the beating as an act of ‘inhuman- were chatting about what seemed to be their defense. that his colleagues “stomp” him, when they catch him. ity.’ And later added, ‘I felt that I needed to do something and do something quickly. I don’t think I’ve witnessed anything of that nature my entire career.’”

They determined that Nichols must be on some sort of drug—no evidence of that; and that he went for one of their guns, though there was no evidence of that, either.

EMTs came in an ambulance, and seemed to take a while before rendering Nichols any assistance.

On Jan. 7, Memphis police from the SCORPION (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) ‘elite unit claimed they stopped Tyre Nichols for alleged reckless driving. Later, police chief C.J. Davies stated there was no evidence of reckless driving. The officers however, dragged Nichols out of his vehicle, yelled profanities at the bewildered Nichols, , amidst an onslaught of blows, asked “What did I do?” The white officer Preston Hemphill attempted to tase him, as Nichols managed to get out from up under the scrummage, Hemphill told the five Black officers to go after him, shouting, “I hope they stomp his ass.”

The officers caught up with Nichols, and commenced to do just that. He was kicked in the face, beaten with nightsticks, punched, dragged to lean against a car, and propped up when he slumped over. All the while the five cops

The young father was taken to a hospital and images of his swollen, broken body hit the media. Nichols died on Jan. 10, three days after the barbaric beating. Questions were asked. Answers were demanded, and within 19 days the five Black offices were named, arrested, and charged. While the images of the five officers were all over the media, especially after they were fired, questions were asked about the other cops who were on scene, and the white officer who was part of the initial stop, and demanded

It was only on Jan. 29, weeks after the five Black officers were fired and days after they were charged with second degree murder and other criminal charges, that community pressure led to Hemphill finally being relieved of duty and placed on paid administrative leave. Crump and the community are asking why Hemphill is still collecting his paycheck, and why he was not also arrested and charged.

On the same Monday, three EMTs and another officer were released from duty.

The video of the beating was shown on Jan. 27th, 2023. It was treated almost like a big film premier with all the extraordinary pomp and circumstance of mustsee-TV viewing.

Bibi Suares said on Facebook that it was “being promoted and advertised like the next blockbuster movie.”