- Mar 11, 2015
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5 Memphis ex-police are charged with murder and jailed over the death of Tyre Nichols
Five former Memphis police officers have been indicted and jailed in the beating death of Tyre Nichols, who died days after a traffic stop on Jan. 7.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith each face several charges, including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
Like Nichols, all of the fired officers are Black.
On Wednesday, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis released a video statement discussing "the horrific circumstances" of Nichols' death. She called it a professional failing and said "the incident was heinous, reckless and inhumane."
“Now I wanted to say something about the fact that we have lived over these last two or three summers with agony and we have seen our cities going up in flames. And I would be the first to say that I am still committed to militant, powerful, massive, non¬-violence as the most potent weapon in grappling with the problem from a direct action point of view. I’m absolutely convinced that a riot merely intensifies the fears of the white community while relieving the guilt. And I feel that we must always work with an effective, powerful weapon and method that brings about tangible results.
But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segment of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.”
These words are from a speech by Martin Luther King given on March 14, 1968. It was titled, “The Other America.” Today there are people in the white community who still do not listen.
When Colin Kaepernick took a knee in silence and peace to protest the very thing we saw in Memphis, members of a very trifling section of the white community condemned him and everybody else for peacefully protesting the violence. So maybe it's time for members in that part of the white community to be quiet. King said that riots are the language of the unheard and when 5 black cops think they can murder another black citizen and nothing will happen, that's the definition of a nation that has refused to listen.
I saw the video and I am seeing protests beginning to mobilize in various cities. Hopefully, we don't get people who spend all their time looking for riots instead of looking at what caused them. And for those on the right who will inevitably run their mouths if a riot happens, all I can say is please be quiet. You guys committed an insurrection about something a man made up, you committed violence for no reason, you have nothing to say about people who have seen police murder people time after time, people who have asked for police reform, but no one listened.
