Name: 6th Memphis Police Officer Connected to Tyre Nichols Case Relieved of Duty
Uploaded: 2023-01-31T03:03:37.000Z
Description: A sixth Memphis police officer has been relieved of duty in connection to the assault and death investigation of Tyre Nichols, a Memphis Police Department (MPD) official announced on Monday.

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the United States and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

Citizens React to Socialist Trend Within Democratic Party

Fiona Ji is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers local news.

Fiona Ji

New State Department Report Describes Cuban Regime's Subversion in US

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Communist Cuba’s 'Decade Long Project to Sow Discord Within the US': Policy Analyst

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

Calls Grow to Hold CCP Officials Accountable for Ongoing Persecution of Falun Gong

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

Lionel Messi’s Potential Retirement In Discussion

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Tennessee Sues Meta Over Teen Safety

Jackson Richman is a Washington correspondent for The Epoch Times. In addition to Washington politics, he covers the intersection of politics and sports/sports and culture. He previously was a writer at Mediaite and Washington correspondent at Jewish News Syndicate. His writing has also appeared in The Washington Examiner. He is an alum of George Washington University.

Jackson Richman

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

US News

Courts

Mexican Drug Kingpin Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Sentenced in US to Life in Prison

Kelly McBride Ni is a news writer for NTD based in North Carolina. 


Kelly McBride Ni

Sean Marshall is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, primarily covering business and technology trends. 

Sean Marshall

US Army Veteran Arrested After Fire Set Outside New York ICE Offices

Jane Werrell is an international correspondent and anchor for NTD News based in London. Jane is a part-time anchor for "NTD UK News."

Jane Werrell

London Parade Marks 27 Years of Falun Gong Persecution

Chris Beers is an NTD News anchor and political correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Chris co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Chris Beers

US–Iran Conflict Could Flare up to Full Scale War at Any Time: Middle East Expert

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 20)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 19)

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

Full Episodes

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 18)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 17)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 16)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 13)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 12)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 11)

Tom Gantert is a reporter for The Epoch Times.

Tom Gantert

Melina Wisecup is NTD's congressional correspondent based in Washington, covering Capitol Hill and campaign politics.

Melina Wisecup

Politics

Executive Branch

Trump Uses Recent Speeches to Warn Americans of Resurging Communism

NTD+ is a streaming platform featuring exclusive programming, investigative news analysis, and award-winning documentaries.


NTD+

Shorts

Alleged Reflecting Pool Vandalism Caught on Video

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

Shows

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

2.8 Million People in China Evacuated Amid Typhoon Bavi

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

Iran's Football Team Leaves Note of Friendship

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Congress

House Passes Legislation to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

Sen. Lindsey Graham Likely Died After Aorta Tear, Medical Examiner Says

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. 

Jack Phillips

Andrew Thomas is a reporter for NTD News primarily covering business, the economy, and technology. 

Andrew Thomas

World News

Middle East

UN Maritime Group to Rescue 11,000 Sailors Stranded in Middle East

Mary Man is a writer for NTD. She has traveled around the world covering China, international news, and arts and culture.

Mary Man

China News

China Floods: Thousands at Risk After Multiple Dams Collapse in Guangxi

NTD Films

NTD+ Movies

The Unrestricted War

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Iran

US, Iran Launch New Strikes; Trump Warns Ceasefire May Collapse

A sixth Memphis police officer has been relieved of duty in connection to the assault and death investigation of Tyre Nichols, a Memphis Police Department (MPD) official announced on Monday.

MPD Officer Preston Hemphill was suspended and is on administrative leave, said Memphis police spokeswoman Karen Rudolph. It is unclear what Hemphill's role was in the Jan. 7 incident.

Hemphill’s lawyer, Lee Gerald, said in a statement that Hemphill was the third officer at a traffic stop that preceded the violent arrest and that he activated his body camera. But Hemphill was not at the scene where Nichols was beaten, Gerald said.

Rudolph said information on disciplinary action taken against Hemphill was not immediately released because the officer was not fired and the department typically releases information about officers who are relieved of duty after an investigation ends.

The latest development comes days after officials <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/memphis-releases-video-of-police-beating-tyre-nichols_5016740.html">released video footage</a> on Jan. 27 showing five former Memphis police officers, who are now <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/update-on-5-ex-memphis-police-officers-charged-in-tyre-nichols-death_5018443.html">charged</a> with Nichols' murder, beating the 29-year-old man after he attempted to flee during a traffic stop. Nichols died in a hospital of his injuries three days later.

The five officers—Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, and Justin Smith—were charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, and a slew of other charges in relation to Nichols' death.

This combo of images provided by the Memphis Police Department shows (top L–R) officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, (bottom L–R) Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith. (Memphis Police Department via AP)

Court records show that the officers—who are all black—will all be arraigned together at 10 a.m. on Feb. 17 at a court in Shelby County, Tennessee, according to multiple news reports. Judge James Jones will hear the case, the records show.

They face up to 60 years in prison if convicted of second-degree murder.

The MPD and the Shelby County District Attorney's Office have said an investigation into the actions of law enforcement officers who reported to the scene of the arrest was ongoing, noting that additional information will be made public as soon as it becomes available.

In addition to the five officers, two Shelby County sheriff's deputies have also been relieved of duty without pay while their conduct is being investigated. Two members of the Memphis Fire Department have also been removed from duty over Nichols’ arrest.
<h2>Police Disband Special Unit</h2>
All five now-fired police officers were members of a special unit, "SCORPION," which was <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/memphis-police-disband-special-unit-after-video-released-of-tyre-nichols-arrest_5017825.html">permanently disbanded</a> a day after the city publicly released footage of Nichols' arrest.

"SCORPION," which was launched in November 2021, comprises three teams of about 30 officers. The term stands for "Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods."

The unit was tasked with addressing rising crime in Memphis, in part by targeting violent offenders in areas of concern. But the unit faced heavy criticism in the aftermath of Nichols’ death. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said that Nichols had "succumbed to his injuries."


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="zxx"><a href="https://t.co/smVU9KxAZY">pic.twitter.com/smVU9KxAZY</a></p>
— Memphis Police Dept (@MEM_PoliceDept) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEM_PoliceDept/status/1619446919683796992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>




<h2>Calls for Disciplinary Actions</h2>
Nichols' beating and death have led to nationwide outrage, with Nichols' family, protesters, and community activists across the country calling for more officers to be fired or charged.

On Jan. 28, Nichols' stepfather, Rodney Wells, told The Associated Press that the family was going to "continue to seek justice and get some more officers arrested."

"Questions were raised before the video was released, I raised those questions," Wells told the network. "I just felt there was more than five officers out there. Now, five were charged with murder because they were the main participants, but there were five or six other officers out there that didn’t do anything to render any aid. So they are just as culpable as the officers who threw the blows."

Memphis City Council member Martavius Jones said he watched the video with colleagues on Jan. 27. He acknowledged on Monday that Memphis police policies of failure to render aid and de-escalation appeared to have been violated, noting that he believes more officers on the scene should be disciplined.

"At this point, what's going to be helpful for this community is to see how swiftly the police chief deals with those other officers now that everybody has seen the tape and knows that it wasn't only five officers who were at the scene the entire time," Jones said.
<h2>Protests Erupt in US Cities</h2>
Since officials released video footage of Nichols' beating, protests have been organized in <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/protests-erupt-in-us-cities-after-memphis-releases-tyre-nichols-video_5017079.html">several U.S. cities</a>. Over the weekend, demonstrators took to the streets in different cities with various messages, some demanding justice and an end to so-called "police terror," others with generic leftist messages about "class struggle" and "revolution."

In some locations, protests were being led by the far-left group known as Antifa, known for being confrontational and violent during protests, according to videos circulating on social media.

Some of the protesters have blocked traffic and caused damage to property.

In Memphis, roughly several dozen individuals obstructed a busy bridge on I-55, which connects Arkansas and Tennessee across the Mississippi River, causing semi-trucks to accumulate behind them.

A demonstrator stomps on the window of an NYPD car as people protest the death of Tyre Nichols in New York City on Jan. 27, 2023. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

In New York City, protesters started demonstrating in a crowded Times Square around 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 27. A <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1619168260011991040">video</a> on social media shows a man stomping on the front windshield of a police car surrounded by a large crowd in Times Square before he’s wrestled to the ground by officers. Grand Central Station was <a href="https://twitter.com/CBKNEWS121/status/1619148983447998469">reportedly</a> shut down in anticipation of protests.

In Seattle, a large group of Antifa militants marched downtown chanting “black lives matter” and “say his name,” Rebel News <a href="https://twitter.com/KatieDaviscourt/status/1619200063728926722?s=20">reported</a>. Another video by independent journalist Jonathon Choe shows an Antifa group blocking traffic near Seattle Center, chanting, “no justice, no peace.”

<em>Epoch Times reporter Caden Pearson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.</em>

Videos

04_Top Stories

Memphis

Latest Clips

Lorenz Duchamps is a news writer for NTD, focusing primarily on the U.S., world, and entertainment news.

Lorenz Duchamps

Tyre Nichols

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.

6th Memphis Police Officer Connected to Tyre Nichols Case Relieved of Duty

Stefania Cox is an NTD News anchor and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Stefania anchors "NTD Newsroom," and co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Stefania Cox

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 21)

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (July 21)

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 20)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (July 20)

Special Coverage

[LIVE July 23 at 11:30 AM ET] 2026 Rally and March to End the Persecution of Falun Dafa

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 17)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (July 17)

Tiffany Meier is an anchor, China news investigative reporter, and producer for NTD News based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Tiffany anchors NTD's flagship shows "NTD Evening News" and "China in Focus" and co-moderates NTD's special election coverage "The Nation Decides." She produced the award-winning NTD Original documentary "Hollywood Takeover: China's Control in the Film Industry."


Tiffany Meier

NTD Special Coverage: Trump Addresses the Nation

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 16)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (July 16)

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 15)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (July 15)

Kevin Hogan is an NTD News data reporter and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Kevin covers breaking news, as well as U.S. and global current events. He conveys the news through data visualizations and investigates pressing issues.