Second Memphis Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Charges in Tyre Nichols Case

Emmitt Martin III, a former Memphis officer, pleaded guilty to federal civil rights and conspiracy charges in Tyre Nichols' 2023 deathPhoto byTingey Injury Law FirmonUnsplash

Emmitt Martin III, a former officer with the Memphis Police Department (MPD), pleaded guilty today in federal court to civil rights and conspiracy charges related to the death of Tyre Nichols.

This marks the second guilty plea among the officers charged in the high-profile case, according to DOJ

Nichols succumbed to his injuries on Jan. 10, 2023, three days after being subjected to a brutal assault involving kicks, punches, and strikes with a police baton during a traffic stop.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Martin's charges stem from the Jan. 7, 2023, incident, where he and four other MPD officers were accused of using excessive force that resulted in Nichols' death.

The officers initially claimed that Nichols was stopped for reckless driving, but Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis later revealed that no evidence was found to substantiate this allegation.

The charges also include allegations that the officers aided and abetted each other in the use of excessive force, failed to intervene, and conspired to cover up their misconduct.

The DOJ stated that Martin pleaded guilty to two of the four counts in the indictment: using excessive force and failing to intervene, and conspiring to cover up the unlawful assault by omitting material information and providing false and misleading information to his supervisor and others.

This case has drawn significant attention, with co-defendant Desmond Mills previously pleading guilty to similar charges on Nov. 2, 2023. The remaining three defendants are scheduled to face trial on Sept. 9.

The sentencing hearing for Martin is set for Dec. 5, where a federal district court judge will determine the sentence based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, according to DOJ.