Three former Memphis, Tennessee, police officers were convicted Thursday of federal witness tampering charges related to the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols in 2023.
Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith and Taddarius Bean were accused of depriving Nichols of his rights through excessive force, obstructing justice through witness tampering and other crimes. They pleaded not guilty.
Haley was convicted of one count of conspiracy to witness tamper and one count of obstruction of justice for witness tampering. Bean and Smith were found guilty on only one count, obstruction of justice, for witness tampering.
None of the men were found guilty of the counts of deprivation of rights under color of the law for excessive force and for failure to intervene or deliberate indifference, but Haley was convicted of the lesser counts for each, which involved bodily injury.
The judge ordered the officers to be taken into custody. He planned to hold a hearing Monday to hear from the defense lawyers about releasing them pending sentencing.
Two other former officers, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty to the same charges.
Posted by John3262005