The fallout from Tyre Nichols’ deadly beating continued Monday when the Memphis Police Division stated a seventh police officer who responded to the scene was relieved of obligation.

In a press release, the company didn’t establish the seventh officer or say if the individual would face departmental or felony expenses.

The division additionally confirmed {that a} sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, was relieved of obligation.

“Officer Preston Hemphill and different officer’s actions and inactions have been and proceed to be a part of an investigation since its inception” on Jan. 8, the day after Nichols’ visitors cease and the day all seven officers have been relieved of obligation, the division stated.

The assertion added that “quite a few” impending expenses are growing. It is not clear which officers could also be charged.

Hemphill’s lawyer, Lee Gerald, had initially confirmed Monday that Hemphill was seen on physique digital camera video launched final week firing a stun gun at Nichols as he initially ran from officers throughout the cease.

Gerald stated the officer was by no means current on the scene the place 5 officers who’ve been charged with second-degree homicide and different crimes have been seen beating Nichols.

“Hemphill’s actions and involvement has been underneath investigation as he participated within the preliminary visitors cease and using a TASER,” the division stated in its assertion Monday.

The 5 different officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — were fired Jan. 20 after an administrative investigation discovered they’d violated division coverage on using drive. They have been employed between 2017 and 2020.

These 5 former officers have been charged with second-degree murder, two counts of official misconduct, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, one rely of official oppression and one rely of aggravated assault, prosecutors introduced final week.

Requested why the division didn’t announce disciplinary motion in opposition to Hemphill on the identical day it introduced the firing of the 5 officers, a police spokesperson stated: “The opposite 5 officer’s names have been introduced after they have been charged departmentally, then subsequently charged criminally. Officer Hemphill has not obtained departmental or felony expenses. As we have now suggested, the investigation is ongoing. Officer Hemphill’s title got here out after it was heard within the video from the Tyre Nichols scene, that was launched Friday night. We’re merely confirming that he’s relieved of obligation.”

That reply was not ample for Nichols’ household lawyer Ben Crump.

“The information at present from Memphis officers that Officer Preston Hemphill was reportedly relieved of obligation weeks in the past, however not but terminated or charged, is extraordinarily disappointing. Why is his id and the function he performed in Tyre’s demise simply now coming to gentle?” he requested.

Crump added: “We’ve got requested from the start that the Memphis Police Division be clear with the household and the group — this information appears to point that they haven’t risen to the event. It actually begs the query why the white officer concerned on this brutal assault was shielded and shielded from the general public eye, and thus far, from ample self-discipline and accountability. The Memphis Police Division owes us all solutions.”

Shelby County District Lawyer Steve Mulroy’s workplace on Monday stated authorities “labored terribly swiftly however completely to cost these whose offenses have been plain and clear and instantly contributed to the demise of Mr. Nichols,” however the investigation is way from over.

“The present expenses don’t preclude us from including extra expenses as extra data is introduced. We’re taking a look at all people concerned within the occasions main as much as, throughout, and after the beating of Tyre Nichols. This consists of the officer current on the preliminary encounter who has not — thus far —been charged, Memphis Fireplace Division personnel, and individuals who participated in making ready documentation of the incident afterward,” Mulroy’s workplace stated in a press release.

‘Relieving somebody of obligation isn’t firing them’

No less than one metropolis official stated the self-discipline in opposition to Hemphill doesn’t go far sufficient.

“For the report, relieving somebody of obligation isn’t firing them,” Memphis Metropolis Council Vice Chair J.B. Smiley Jr. tweeted, ending the submit with “#FirePrestonHemphill” and “#JusticeForTyre.”

A consultant with the union representing rank-and-file officers, the Memphis Police Affiliation, couldn’t be reached for remark.

Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who was an newbie photographer and skateboarder, was hospitalized in important situation and died three days after the visitors cease.

A number of police movies present officers punching, kicking and hitting Nichols with a baton.

There have been three movies from police physique cameras and one from a police surveillance digital camera mounted on a pole. A physique digital camera video reveals Nichols escaped whereas on the bottom. No less than one officer appeared to have been hit with a chemical irritant when it was sprayed at Nichols throughout the preliminary encounter.

Nichols managed to run to his mom’s neighborhood and was about 80 yards from her home when video captured a number of officers assaulting him as he repeatedly shouted “Mother!”

‘I’ll tase your a–‘

The physique digital camera video referred to by Hemphill’s lawyer reveals one officer arriving on the visitors cease and pointing a gun. One other shouts, “You’re going to get your a– blown the f— out.”

One of many officers yanks Nichols out of the automobile, video reveals.

A number of officers hover round him, in accordance with the footage, as he’s on the bottom. They generally yell contradictory instructions at him in a chaotic scene.

“I’ll tase your a–,” an officer shouts.

Officers yell at Nichols to lie on the bottom and put his arms behind his again. He’s on his aspect on the bottom, with one officer holding on arm and a second holding the opposite, the video reveals.

Nichols says “OK, dude, dang!” at one level, and “you guys are actually doing rather a lot proper now. … I’m simply making an attempt to go house.”

He tells officers yelling at him, “I’m on the bottom!” and it then seems that he’s sprayed with a chemical irritant, the video reveals.

Nichols, throughout a wrestle on the bottom, manages to interrupt free from the officers, in accordance with the footage. An officer then shoots a stun gun at him whereas he sprints away.

That officer chased him for a brief distance earlier than stopping, the video reveals.

“Taser was deployed,” the officer says whereas respiratory closely. He then offers an outline of Nichols and says the route and avenue the place he was final seen operating.

“One of many prongs hit the b——,” the officer additionally says, referring to the stun gun he fired, in accordance with the video.

Fallout from the visitors cease hits different companies

The fallout from Nichols’ visitors cease and deadly beating has unfold to different companies past the Memphis Police Division.

Three fire department employees were fired Monday after they have been accused of violating “quite a few” departmental insurance policies and protocols, the company stated in a press release.

The division didn’t present an inventory of expenses however stated that two of the staff — each EMTs — “did not conduct an sufficient affected person evaluation of Mr. Nichols.”

The third worker, a lieutenant, remained in her automobile, the division stated.

Two Shelby County Sheriff’s Workplace deputies have been additionally relieved of obligation pending an administrative investigation in connection to Nichols’ demise, Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. announced Friday night time after watching the video for the primary time.

Bonner stated he had “considerations about two deputies who appeared on the scene following the bodily confrontation between police and Tyre Nichols.”

The investigation will look into their conduct to find out what occurred and if any insurance policies have been violated, the sheriff stated.