Jury At Officers' Trial In Fatal Beating Of Tyre Nichols Hears Instructions Ahead Of Closings

A jury received instructions from a judge Wednesday about how to deliberate and issue a unanimous verdict in the federal trial of three former Memphis police officers charged with violating Tyre Nichols' civil rights in a fatal beating that followed a 2023 traffic stop.

U.S. District Judge Mark Norris read the lengthy instructions ahead of closing arguments expected later in the day. Norris spent Tuesday hearing arguments from lawyers about what the instructions would entail.

To find Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley or Justin Smith guilty of using too much force, Norris said jurors would need to find that the officers acted as law enforcement officers, violated Nichols' right to be free from the use of excessive force and "deliberate indifference" to his injuries, and that he suffered bodily injury or death.

The jury also must consider whether the officers were using their 'split second judgment" about the force needed to put handcuffs on Nichols after he ran from police.

Police video shows five officers, who are all Black, punched, kicked and hit Nichols, who was also Black, about a block from his home, as he called out for his mother. Two of the officers, Desmond Mills and Emmitt Martin. pleaded guilty and testified for prosecutors.