A sixth officer was “removed from duty” by the Memphis Police Department following the attack and death of Tire Nichols.
Preston Hemphill has been suspended and is on administrative leave, although it is unclear how he was involved in the January 7 arrest.
Hemphill, who joined the force in 2018, could face more charges following his suspension.
It comes after the Memphis District Attorney said he can’t rule out filing more charges against officers at the scene of Tyre Nichols’ brutal caning.
Preston Hemphill has been suspended and is on administrative leave, although it is currently unclear how he was involved in the January 7 arrest
Tire Nichols is pictured in hospital after the incident. The 29-year-old from Memphis died of cardiac arrest and kidney failure on Jan. 10, three days after he was pulled over by police for reckless driving in unmarked cars
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy last week confirmed the charges against five officers in the death of 29-year-old Nichols, before releasing chilling bodycam footage of the attack.
Emmit Martin III, Justin Smith, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Desmond Mills were all seen punching and kicking the FedEx driver as he lay on the ground – after they pepper sprayed him in the face.
He is heard screaming for his mother in heart-rending screams during the January 7 attack without any of the officers looking up after he was beaten with a baton.
Mulroy has now said other officers who arrived at the scene and failed to take adequate action to ensure Nichols’ well-being – and further charges could be brought.
Since the footage was released, questions have been raised about those who were at the scene – but did not intervene.
All five officers were charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct and official suppression.
Two Shelby County sheriff’s deputies are under investigation and two Memphis Fire Department employees have been suspended from duty pending an investigation.
Speaking to CNN, Mulroy said: “We will need time to allow the investigation to continue to consider the charges further.
“But I will say this, nothing we did in relation to the charges last Thursday prevents us from filing other charges later.”
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy last week confirmed the charges against five officers in the death of 29-year-old Nichols, before releasing chilling bodycam footage of the attack
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmit Martin III, Desmond Mills and Justin Smith (LR) were all seen punching and kicking the FedEx driver as he lay on the ground
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy confirmed charges against five officers in connection with the death of Nichols last week
Footage shows police brutally beating Nichols, a 29-year-old FedEx employee, for three minutes while shouting profanities at him
“There are certain things I cannot comment on in relation to an investigation already underway and a prosecution pending.
“What I can say is that we are looking at everything. And nothing we did on Thursday, in bringing charges against the five officers primarily involved, precludes further action later.’
He added that the same charges were brought against all officers because they “all acted together” and their actions resulted in Nichols’ death.
Justin Smith, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, Demetrius Haley and Tadarrius Bean were released from the Shelby County Jail shortly after their arrest, according to court records.
The Memphis Police Department has policies that include a “duty to intervene” if they see another officer “engaged in dangerous or criminal conduct or abuse of a subject.”
They must also begin to “de-escalate” and establish rules for a “continuum of use of force.”
Mulroy has now said other officers who arrived at the scene and failed to take adequate action to ensure Nichols’ well-being – and further charges could be brought
Crump, the attorney for Nichols’ family, pointed out that Nichols’ encounter with the police began with a traffic stop, which falls outside the unit’s mandate to combat violent crime
The Memphis Police Department has policies that include a “duty to intervene” if they see another officer “engaged in dangerous or criminal conduct or abuse of a subject.”
Footage shows officers did not respond to the situation in a responsible and professional manner, instead goading one another, with one officer even being heard saying, “I hope they kick his ass.”
Footage released by the City of Memphis shows Nichols being pulled over by officers with guns drawn.
Memphis Police Commissioner Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said other officers are under investigation, and Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner said two deputies have been suspended from duty without pay while their behavior is investigated.
Rodney Wells, Nichols’ stepfather, said the family “will continue to seek justice,” noting that several other officers failed to provide assistance, making them “just as guilty as the officers who carried out the beating.”
The arrest was made by the so-called Scorpion unit, which consists of three teams of around 30 street police officers who target violent criminals in high-crime areas.
The unit has since been disbanded.