The five US police officers charged with the killing of black man Tire Nichols in Memphis now also have to answer in federal proceedings. They are accused of civil wrongdoing, collusion and cover-up, the US Department of Justice said on Tuesday. The 29-year-old Nichols was brutally beaten by police officers during a traffic stop on January 7th and died from his injuries in hospital three days later. The case sparked protests and reignited the debate about police violence in the United States.
According to the allegations, the five defendants deliberately ignored how urgently Nichols needed medical attention. Afterwards, they also tried to cover up their crime, the ministry said. For example, the defendants did not inform the operations management at headquarters or their superiors about their actions during the check.
The five black police officers, aged between 28 and 33, were fired and charged after the incident. They have already been accused in criminal proceedings of, among other things, second-degree murder – an intermediate step between murder and manslaughter. The ex-cops pleaded not guilty in February.
In the USA, the police have long been criticized. She is accused of excessively brutal and sometimes racially motivated use of violence. In the past, such operations that got out of control repeatedly triggered violent protests. The killing of the African American George Floyd in May 2020 led to nationwide demonstrations against racism and police violence. In Memphis, the US Department of Justice ordered an investigation into police practices after Nichols’ death.
Watch the video: A pregnant woman was shot dead in her car by police officers in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, on August 24th. Now the bodycam footage of one of the police officers has been released. The family of the slain Ta’Kiya Young is demanding clarification.
