CNN
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The US attorney overseeing the federal civil rights investigation into the death of Tire Nichols will brief reporters at 10:30 a.m. ET on the investigation.
Nichols, a black man who died after a traffic stop in Memphis, Tennessee, was “bleeding profusely from severe beatings,” according to initial results of an autopsy commissioned by his family.
Attorney Ben Crump said in a statement statement “Preliminary findings indicate that Thiel was bleeding profusely from the violent beating and that his observed injuries are consistent with what family members and attorneys witnessed in video of his fatal encounter with police officers on January 7, 2023.”
Nichols died three days after being pulled over by Memphis Police Department officials on suspicion of reckless driving, CNN previously reported. In a statement, police allege there was a confrontation between Nichols and officers. After he was taken into custody, Nichols complained of shortness of breath and was taken to a local hospital, where he later died, police said.
On Monday, the family’s attorney, Antonio Romanucci, said after viewing body camera footage of the incident that Nichols “was defenseless the entire time. To those cops, he was a human piñata. Right This young boy engaged in three minutes of undisguised, undisguised, non-stop beating.”
Five police officers, all black, and two members of the city’s fire department were fired following Nichols’ death.
Video of the incident could be released this week or next, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy told CNN’s Laura Coates Tuesday night, but he wanted to make sure his office was in the loop. All those involved have been interviewed before releasing the video, so there will be no repercussions in their statement.
“Certainly, a lot of people’s questions about what happened will be answered once people see the video,” Mulroy said, noting that he believes the city will release enough footage to show “the whole thing, from the beginning to the end.” At last.”
Mulroy said prosecutors are trying to expedite the investigation and could make a decision on possible charges “in the same time frame we are considering releasing the video.”
Officials have not released the results of Nichols’ autopsy. CNN has asked Crump for a copy of the autopsy, but he said the full report is not yet ready.
The death of Nichols, 29, on Jan. 10 follows several high-profile cases involving the excessive use of force by police against members of the public, especially young black men.
“It’s horrific. It’s pathetic. It’s outrageous,” Crump said Monday after watching body camera video with Nichols’ family. “It’s violent. It’s troublesome on every level.”
“What I saw on video today was horrific,” said Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells. “No, Daddy, what I saw today must have been seen by my mother.”
Nichols’ mother, Ravaughn Wells, couldn’t get past the first minute of the camera, Crump said after hearing Tire ask, “What did I do?” At the end of the video, Nichols can be heard calling for his mother three times, the lawyer said.
Crump, who joined Nichols’ mother, stepfather, grandmother and aunt at the news conference, said the family described Nichols as a “good kid” who loved skateboarding, photography and computers.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigation Nichols’ death and the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI have opened civil rights investigations.
The Memphis Police Department initially said Nichols “fleeed the scene on foot” after an altercation occurred after being pulled over. Officers chased him and another standoff ensued before Nichols was taken into custody, police said in a statement. statement on social media.
“Afterwards, the suspect complained of shortness of breath and an ambulance was called to the scene. The suspect was taken to St. Francis Hospital in a critical condition,” officials said.
Nichols fled police, his stepfather said, because he was scared.
“Our son ran away because he feared for his life,” Wells said Monday. “He didn’t run because he was trying to get rid of drugs, guns, nothing. He ran because he was afraid for his life. When you see the video, you can understand why he was afraid for his life.”
Qwanesha Ward, fire department public information officer, told CNN’s Nadia Romero that the fired fire department employee was part of Nichols’ “initial patient care” and was removed “while an internal investigation is underway.” Ward did not provide further details, saying she could not comment further because the investigation was ongoing.
Asked Tuesday what those fire department employees did or didn’t do, Romanucci told CNN he was “limited” in how much he could say.
He added: “There was a fire at the scene some time before the EMS services arrived. They were there with the tires and the police before the EMS arrived.”
The Memphis Police Department identified the fired officers last week as Tadarius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmett Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith.
“The egregious nature of this incident does not reflect the good work our officers do with integrity every day,” Sheriff Cerelyn Davis said at the time.
The Memphis Police Association, the union representing the police, declined to comment on the firing, saying only that the city of Memphis and Nichols’ family “should be aware of a full record of the events leading up to his death and what may have led to it.”