The funeral for Tire Nichols, the 29-year-old black man who died earlier this month after video showed him being beaten by Memphis police officers, will begin Wednesday in Memphis, Tennessee.
Vice President Kamala Harris will join RowVaughn Wells, Nichols’ mother, and stepfather, Rodney Wells, at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church to pay tribute to Tire, who is remembered as a joyful man who loved photography and skateboarding.
Six Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers were fired in total in the wake of the January 7 traffic stop, which led to Nichols’ death three days later.
Five of the officers, who are black, face seven charges each in the wake of the incident, including second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and official misconduct.
MEMPHIS POLICE TO RELEASE MORE AUDIO AND VIDEO OF TIRE NICHOLS TRAFFIC STOP
This photo provided by the Nichols family shows Tire Nichols, who had a passion for photography and was described by friends as cheerful and adorable.
(Courtesy of the Nichols family via AP)
They have been identified as Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, and Justin Smith.
An MPD spokesperson confirmed Monday that the department has also relieved Officer Preston Hemphill. The 26-year-old officer joined the force in 2018 and allegedly used his Taser on Nichols before the other five officers beat him.
TIRE NICHOLS INVESTIGATION: DA SAYS ‘THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO INTENT TO PROTECT ANYONE’
From left to right, Memphis Police Department officers Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills and Justin Smith were fired Jan. 18 for their roles in the arrest of the late Tire Nichols.
(Memphis Police Department)
Preston, who is white, has yet to be charged with any crime in connection with the incident. However, Memphis police say he is the subject of an ongoing investigation.
Authorities released footage of Nichols’ beating on Friday. He showed the five officers punching, kicking and beating Nichols with batons as he lay face down.
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Rodney Wells, stepfather of Tire Nichols, left, speaks at a news conference with civil rights attorney Ben Crump, consoling Tire’s mother, RowVaughn Wells, right, in Memphis, Tenn., Friday, May 27. January.
(AP/Gerald Herbert)
Memphis City Legal Director Jennifer Sink also said in a statement late Tuesday that the city will withhold all additional video and audio related to the January 7 traffic stop until it completes an administrative investigation, which It should happen in the “next few weeks”. ”
Nichols was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Memphis in critical condition and died on January 10.
Fox News’ Stephen Sorace, Adam Sabes and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
