Tyre Nichols trial: Testimonies continue in federal case against officers

3 p.m. update: The judge released the jury early Thursday due to inclement weather.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Training and policies took center stage Thursday at the trial for three former Memphis Police officers charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols.

The federal trial for three former Memphis Police officers accused of killing Tyre Nichols continues on Thursday with testimonies from witnesses.

The first witness on Thursday was Larnce Wright, a 2nd lieutenant who has served 13 years at the Memphis Police Department. He is one of the instructors who trained former officers Bean, Smith, Haley, Martin, and Mills in the Memphis Police Training Academy.

Wright says they train officers that no resistance equals no force, a lot of resistance equals a lot of force, and deadly force equals deadly force. He adds that strikes to the head are not authorized and kicking someone in the head is considered deadly force.

“Officers may only use the necessary amount of force. Resistance and force must match,” Wright said. “They can not use force as punishment.”

Wright says what he watched in the video of Tyre Nichols getting beaten was against MPD policy.

“The other officers should have intervened,” Wright said.

He says all uses of force are inconsistent with what is taught in the academy, are not in line with MPD policy and training, and that tasing was unnecessary.

“We do not train on a regular traffic stop to go up with our guns drawn and grab them out of the vehicle,” Wright said.

Wednesday morning began with opening statements from defense attorneys and prosecutors.

Elizabeth Rogers, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, told jurors that evidence would be hard to watch and that those days would not be easy.

“Five officers took turns punching, kicking, and beating Nichols until he died. They stood by his dying body and laughed. They silently agreed to lie about it and cover it up,” Rogers said.

Rogers says that Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills will testify that the team was angry Nichols ran and angry that they pepper sprayed themselves.

Defense attorneys argued that Nichols was noncompliant and the ex-officers were “struggling” with him. They also claimed that the kicks and punches from the men were not against MPD policy.

Two witnesses took the stand on Wednesday, and multiple photos and videos were entered into evidence, including footage from six officers’ bodyworn cameras.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith will stand trial over the next three to four weeks on charges of federal civil rights violations, conspiracy, and obstruction in connection to Tyre Nichols’ death in 2023.

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