The five Memphis, Tennessee police officers charged in connection with the death of Tire Nichols will be arraigned in mid-February, Fox News has confirmed.
Court records show they are scheduled to appear for a “bail arraignment” on February 17.
The hearing will take place at 10 am ET in front of Shelby County Criminal Court Judge James Jones.
The five former officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, and Justin Smith, were fired on January 18. They each face seven charges: second-degree murder; aggravated assault, concert act; two counts of aggravated kidnapping; two counts of official misconduct; and official oppression.
TIRE NICHOLS: AL SHARPTON CONDEMNS VIOLENT PROTESTERS FOR ‘ASSISTING THE POLICE’ AFTER ARRESTS IN TIMES SQUARE
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)
Setting the court date almost three weeks away is considered normal, according to a local criminal defense attorney who is not involved in the case and who spoke to Fox News. The lawyer noted that the five former officers are already out on bail and are no longer in custody.
On Friday, authorities released footage showing Nichols, a 29-year-old FedEx driver, beaten by five Memphis police officers on January 7.
Nichols died at the hospital three days after the arrest.
Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis, who became the first woman to lead the Memphis department just 20 months ago, permanently disbanded the city’s so-called Scorpion unit on Saturday.
From left to right, Desmond Mills, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin and Tadarrius Bean.
(Shelby County Jail)
The New York Post reported that at least two of the five officers charged in Nichols’ death were hired after the Memphis Police Department relaxed qualification requirements.
According to NBC News, Bean and Haley joined the department in August 2020. That was about two months after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked nationwide anti-police riots. It was also two years after the Memphis Police Department changed some of the qualifications needed to become a police officer.
In 2018, Action 5 reported that new Memphis police recruits no longer needed an associate’s degree or 54 college credit hours to join. Five years of work experience would be enough.
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. Nichols was just minutes from his home in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 7, 2023, when he was stopped by police and fatally beaten. Since then, five Memphis police officers have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes.
(Courtesy of the Nichols family via AP)
The Post also reported that Haley, who was a corrections officer at the Shelby County Department of Corrections at the time, was charged with beating a bootlegging inmate eight years ago. Haley denied in court documents allegations that she assaulted Cordarlrius Sledge, who was serving a three-year sentence for aggravated assault, in May 2015.
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The lawsuit was dismissed in 2018 before its merits were assessed after Sledge failed to provide the court with requested information.
Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.
