A judge gives instructions to the jury before closing arguments in the federal Tire Nichols trial

SCORPION officers arrested Nichols, 29, for alleged reckless driving on January 7, 2023.

He was beaten just yards from his parents’ home at Castlegate Lane and Ross Road in Southeast Memphis as the team tried to apprehend him.

In the body camera footage, Nichols could be heard screaming at his mother as officers punched and kicked him in the face and upper torso while trying to handcuff him.

Martin and Mills testified that they lied about the assault and omitted key details about Nichols’ injuries to first responders, their supervisors, internal affairs and even the FBI.

Nichols was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital. Franciszek due to complete cardiac arrest.

He was admitted to the intensive care unit and died three days later, on January 10.

The medical examiner testified that Nichols’ cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. His manner of death was ruled a homicide.

Prosecutors argue that Nichols did not pose a threat to former MPD officers.

They claim the co-defendants violated Nichols’ rights and multiple department policies, starting with the police chase, citing video evidence, documentary reports, witness statements and officer statements.

The defense argues that former officers didn’t know whether Nichols was armed after he fled a traffic stop and must have considered him a dangerous suspect.

Attorneys say Bean, Smith and Haley received training and acted appropriately because Nichols was belligerent and disobeyed the rules.

All five former officers also face second-degree murder charges. The state trial will begin after the federal trial ends.

This story will be updated.

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