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Sixth Memphis police officer in Tyre Nichols case taken off force
Axios ^ | Ivana Saric

Posted on 01/30/2023 9:53:34 AM PST by Red Badger

A sixth Memphis Police Department officer has been relieved of duty in connection to the case of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man​ who died days after he was fatally beaten during a traffic stop earlier this month.

Driving the news: Preston Hemphill was relieved from the force as an investigation is ongoing, department spokesperson Christopher Williams confirmed Monday, days after the city of Memphis released harrowing footage of Nichols' arrest.

Background: Five fired Memphis police officers involved in Nichols' arrest were each charged last week with second degree murder​.

Former officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith, who are also Black men, were each also charged with aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.

Hemphill had been hired in 2018, per Williams.

The big picture: The Department of Justice and the FBI Memphis Field Office are investigating whether Nichols' civil rights were violated by police.

While the Shelby County medical examiner's office has not released an official cause of death, attorneys representing Nichols' family revealed last week that preliminary findings from an independent autopsy revealed he "suffered extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating."

Following the release of the video footage, the Memphis Police Department announced that it had permanently disbanded the special unit Scorpion in the wake of the murder charges brought against five of its members.

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis on Friday before the videos' release condemned the actions of the officers involved in Nichols' arrest, calling their behavior "unconscionable."

Davis said at the time two paramedics were also under investigation by the Memphis fire chief over their actions throughout the incident, as an assessment of the footage indicated that they delayed in giving medical care to Nichols.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional background.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: donutwatch; memphis; police; prestonhemphill
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To: TheDon

I have had Police encounters in some of the harshest, most repressive countries in the “Free” world including Mexico, Korea, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Israel. Many of these places give their police wide latitude and little oversight. To this day if I hear “Springen!” (German for “Jump”) I’d answer “Wie hoch?” (How high?).

I am of the firm belief that no cop administered ass whopping, tazing, or shooting ever started with “Yes, sir” or “No, sir”. The Street might be a good place for dick measuring with your Bros but if you do it with a Cop you get what you asked for. Play Stupid Games - Win Stupid Prizes. They have a job to do, it’s a dirty, dangerous job and the vast majority of them are honest people doing good work. Chances are if they’re being an asshole to you it’s because you showed attitude for no reason.

I got a cop fired in my home town, I didn’t do it on the street, I did it in the Chief’s office. I would have lost on the street and I was smart enough to know it. Playing Billy Badass is stupid under the best of conditions, doing it with an armed LEO is Darwin territory.


41 posted on 01/30/2023 11:29:38 AM PST by Feckless (The US Gubbmint / This Tagline CENSORED by FR \ IrOnic, ain't it?)
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To: shotgun

LOL, yep.

65 IQ spending higher than 100% of disposable income on clothes, hair, and nails. Still look like a fat hooker too.


42 posted on 01/30/2023 11:31:06 AM PST by EEGator
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To: KeyLargo

“Hi Pweston! You’re famouth now!”


43 posted on 01/30/2023 11:31:17 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (Donald Trump is a setting sun. Ron DeSantis is a rising star.)
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To: Red Badger

Demonize the police. Then lower the standards because no good people want to be cops. And this is what you get. No sane person would want to be a cop in a third world dump like Memphis.


44 posted on 01/30/2023 11:33:32 AM PST by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
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To: Gaffer

So....I’ve seen the pictures of the 4 or 5 black cops that actually did the beating, etc. Did they have to find a white cop that showed up on scene or something or did was he directly involved?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

I just read where Preston actually tazed Trye.

I guess if other officers on the scene when St. George of Fentanyl died can be arrested and sent to prison, then Preston is next.


45 posted on 01/30/2023 11:34:46 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (Donald Trump is a setting sun. Ron DeSantis is a rising star.)
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To: Yo-Yo

Well he did say “I hope they stomp his ass” . Caught on tape. That might come back to bite his ass.


46 posted on 01/30/2023 11:35:04 AM PST by csvset (tolerance becomes a crime when attached to evil)
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To: Organic Panic
No sane person would want to be a cop in a third world dump like Memphis.

I'd rather be a garbageman in Memphis. At least when you take out the trash it doesn't come back over and over again.

47 posted on 01/30/2023 11:35:14 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: Red Badger

There’s no mention of what this “white” guy did to get removed at all in the article or any connection to he had to the murder? What’s the deal?


48 posted on 01/30/2023 11:37:14 AM PST by jpp113
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To: Feckless

Well said and thanks for your insight. Not sure why everyone doesn’t understand it.


49 posted on 01/30/2023 11:38:45 AM PST by TheDon (Resist the usurpers)
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To: jpp113

Token white guy?.......................


50 posted on 01/30/2023 11:43:31 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger

I’m leaning towards p*ss poor journalism to support their wished-for narrative to provoke more burning, looting and mayhem


51 posted on 01/30/2023 11:56:44 AM PST by jpp113
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To: EEGator

My ex-wife was a security officer on the Hanford Area for the Dept. of Energy. The force was part of the private site contractor’s labor force and not actual Fed employees. They had all sorts of automatic weapons, armored vehicles and helicopter fire support teams. Even so, I always called them badge checkers.


52 posted on 01/30/2023 12:06:56 PM PST by shotgun
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To: packagingguy

Pool is from Chicago. He moved to WV (hour from DC area) from NYC.


53 posted on 01/30/2023 12:52:44 PM PST by dmam2011
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To: Feckless

Absolutely


54 posted on 01/30/2023 12:54:23 PM PST by dmam2011
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To: dmam2011

Thanks for the clarification. I thought he left Pennsylvania.


55 posted on 01/30/2023 2:21:54 PM PST by packagingguy
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To: Feckless

I am a lawyer, I have dealt with cops and defendants all my life and that’s what I used to think. Now I am starting to think otherwise. I see how black parents/grandparent whip and punch their own kids. I am having an epiphany on this cop-black suspect issue.


56 posted on 01/30/2023 2:56:28 PM PST by yldstrk (Bingo! We have a winner!)
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