TN - Tyre Nichols, beaten to death by 5 Memphis Police Officers, Jan 2023 *officers charged*

[Dre]

I feel the same way. I haven't yet watched the video and feel bad for admitting this. I'm quite sensitive and feel a great deal of empathy towards people. I don't think I'll ever be able to get it out of my head if I watch it. I don't even watch violent TV or movies nevermind real life.

Don’t watch it- just know that it’s horrible, indefensible murder, all I can say. I shouldn’t have.

 

[Petunia83]

And honestly, why aren’t the rest of the officers who were at the scene and did not intervene (or those who arrived after the fact and did not render care), being fired, and prosecuted? As far as I’m concerned, they’re complicit and a disgrace to the badge… In her interview this morning, the Police Chief said that all officers have a duty to both intervene if they witness excessive force, and to render care and aide when necessary… they are duty-bound… so why are only 5 being fired and prosecuted thus far? Tyre’s dad told Don Lemon that they’d confirmed there were at least 10 officers on scene at various points, and those officers did nothing… I believe there are either two firefighters or paramedics (Chief Davis mentions both, I think she was trying to clarify which, but she didn’t finish her thought) who are being investigated, but from what I understand there were more than just two first responders there, as well… so what the heck? And this is me asking a legit question, not me being critical of Memphis LE… and especially not Chief Davis… I watched the entire extensive and very in-depth interview with her and DL this a.m. and I am very impressed with her; her comments, professionalism and how she has handled this thus far… so this is not me being rhetorical and beating up on LE, I legit want to know why the others have not been charged and relieved of duty too? What would be going on behind the scenes that would be causing a delay in doing so? Also, do we know who the first officer is that arrived on the scene? In the very first portion of the video, the part that starts out silent is body cam of a Caucasian officer driving up to the scene of the traffic stop that is already ongoing? Again, it was really hard to tell what was going on and who was saying what with the audio and there being no subtitles or transcript, so I’m not sure what that guy’s level of involvement was… I couldn’t tell if he was being physically or verbally abusive, or if he was the person using the taser? I DID notice the dude was so out of shape that he could only what seemed like a few yards before he was totally put of breath and couldn’t even engage in pursuit… which is a really bad thing if Memphis ever has to rely on this office to apprehend an ACTUAL bad guy… the military have to maintain a minimum standard of physical fitness, I have never understood why police don’t have to… I mean, IMO, one could argue that had that officer been in an adequate state of physical fitness and he was actually able to catch up with Tyre at the start, then Tyre may very well have survived because all of those other officers wouldn’t have joined in, and everyone gotten even more aggressive. Either way, the body cam footage shown at the VERY beginning of the video belongs to some unknown (unknown to me anyway) caucasian officer, not one of the five who have been brought up on charges… can anyone clarify that part for me, too? Do we have any idea who this person is? Perhaps this is unknown to all at this time. Thanks in advance!

 

[Petunia83]

I feel the same way. I haven't yet watched the video and feel bad for admitting this. I'm quite sensitive and feel a great deal of empathy towards people who are suffering. I don't think I'll ever be able to get it out of my head if I watch it. I don't even watch violent TV or movies nevermind real life.
And the thought of what his parent's are going through. It just breaks my heart.

You shouldn’t feel bad, you sound like an empath that’s a good thing... the world needs people like you, but it also means that you literally take on the pain of others so do what’s best for you and spare yourself the pain. Like @Dre said, just know that it’s horrific and detestable and unconscionable and inhuman… and that people responsible should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

I understand how you feel. In a certain way, I am like you, I will feel very deeply, viscerally even, others’ pain, but I have this “fighter” part of my personality that takes over and will make me watch it because I feel like that’s what’s I need to do.

There is no right or wrong, there’s only what’s right for each of us, so don’t make apologies. You don’t have to watch the video in order hate that it happened or to care… you obviously care, so you have nothing to be sorry for.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Don’t watch it- just know that it’s horrible, indefensible murder, all I can say. I shouldn’t have.

Thank you Dre. Somehow I was feeling a little guilty about it. I have come to the understanding now that I don't have to "see" the horror to understand and feel the pain of it.

 

[LaborDayRN]

You shouldn’t feel bad, you sound like an empath that’s a good thing... the world needs people like you, but it also means that you literally take on the pain of others so do what’s best for you and spare yourself the pain. Like @Dre said, just know that it’s horrific and detestable and unconscionable and inhuman… and that people responsible should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

I understand how you feel. In a certain way, I am like you, I will feel very deeply, viscerally even, others’ pain, but I have this “fighter” part of my personality that takes over and will make me watch it because I feel like that’s what’s I need to do.

There is no right or wrong, there’s only what’s right for each of us, so don’t make apologies. You don’t have to watch the video in order hate that it happened or to care… you obviously care, so you have nothing to be sorry for.

Thank you @Petunia83
I think the empathic part of me is what led me to my carreer choice and for that I'm grateful! I can't change myself now so I've just accepted that there are some things I won't watch because of what I will feel.

 

[nao]

Moo..could you see yourself being a police officer? It does take certain personalities and mentality to be a good calm officer. For those that cannot watch video obviously you could not be in police force. Some of those men were just straight up violent..no that is not the way good policing is done. I think they could use a mix of nationalities..to calm neighborhoods. At Least they did not stomp his head..seen that do not think i could see anything worse ...moo

 

[NCgardener]

For those not watching it, there's also a part where they stand him up and hold him so that he can be punched. For no reason, obviously!

I despise all these famous cases of sick cops abusing physical power (I'm being specific so it's not seen as general cop bashing). I hope juries start understanding that bad, criminal people can be in any profession; no occupation is completely free of the evil poser type.

 

[Petunia83]

Thank you @Petunia83
I think the empathic part of me is what led me to my carreer choice. I can't change myself now so I've just accepted that there are some things I can't see because of what I will feel.

Correct! You don’t need to actually see it to feel for Tyre and his fam. I realize this is unsolicited advice, but I’m going to give it anyway… Don’t ever apologize for that empathetic part of yourself. And protect your energy. The world needs people like you!

I’m just guessing from your username that the career choice that you mentioned would be a nurse? My brother is very much like you, very empathetic and he became a nurse and I tell him the same thing all the time. Don’t ever apologize for being an empath because it is a gift and the world needs people like that… especially in nursing… people who are sick are often scared and need comfort, and a kind nurse is sometimes the greatest gift that person could ask for.

 

[NCgardener]

Moo..could you see yourself being a police officer? It does take certain personalities and mentality to be a good calm officer. For those that cannot watch video obviously you could not be in police force. Some of those men were just straight up violent..no that is not the way good policing is done. I think they could use a mix of nationalities..to calm neighborhoods. At Least they did not stomp his head..seen that do not think i could see anything worse ...moo

I used to live in a smaller town beside Memphis and we shopped and ate there, took our dog to the vet there, etc. It makes sense most cops are Black there because it's at least 50-50 Black and that's completely normal/expected. Like New Orleans, maybe. It reminds me of New Orleans a lot of ways.

It's been decades since I lived there. Old school Memphis was a tough, tough place (imho). Tourism wasn't even a thing yet back then, except for Graceland.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Correct! You don’t need to actually see it to feel for Tyre and his fam. I realize this is unsolicited advice, but I’m going to give it anyway… Don’t ever apologize for that empathetic part of yourself. And protect your energy. The world needs people like you!

I’m just guessing from your username that the career choice that you mentioned would be a nurse? My brother is very much like you, very empathetic and he became a nurse and I tell him the same thing all the time. Don’t ever apologize for being an empath because it is a gift and the world needs people like that… especially in nursing… people who are sick are often scared and need comfort, and a kind nurse is sometimes the greatest gift that person could ask for.

Thank you so much for your kind words. I don't want to take away from Tyres thread so I'm going to "button it" now.

 

[nao]

Moo..i think it is important to mix nationalities when making task forces.. i have anxiety issues so i actually listen to police scanners for a calming effect....moo

 

[Petunia83]

For those not watching it, there's also a part where they stand him up and hold him so that he can be punched. For no reason, obviously!

I despise all these famous cases of sick cops abusing physical power (I'm being specific so it's not seen as general cop bashing). I hope juries start understanding that bad, criminal people can be in any profession; no occupation is completely free of the evil poser type.

I was watching some commentary today on one of the news networks with a panel of current and former law-enforcement professionals and consultants… someone brought up something that I thought was a really great point… IIRC she was a former Deputy Police Chief… and what you wrote in your last sentence reminded me of what she said… she said that there needs to be more focus and accountability in the department in ensuring its officers are mentally fit to serve. She said (and this is kind of along the same lines of my physical fitness comment that I wrote above, because police officers only have to pass physical fitness tests in the beginning when they go through the Academy and then sometimes never again…) she said that LE are put through mental health screenings as well, when they are in the process of first becoming officers, and then sometimes, never, ever again. That last sentence you wrote in your post resonated with me because those types of people you described, can sometimes be pretty skilled manipulators and could pass an initial mental health screening, slip through the cracks so to speak, and then they are just in and free to live out whatever degree of power trip they end up on unchecked because they’re never subjected to follow up screenings. But that specific category of individuals aside, she was saying that in positions such these where police officers are entrusted with holding a level of power, it’s very important that the department ensures LE is mentally and psychologically fit to serve… and people’s mental and psychological states don’t always remain stagnant their entire life… If you pass a mental health screening when you initially become a police officer, that doesn’t mean that five, 10, or 20 years down the road, your mental stability is the same… there are all kinds of things that can happen in an individual’s life that can impact mental and psychological fitness and stability… she said that PDs should implement policies in which it becomes a standard practice that every several years, officers are expected to participate in mandatory mental health evaluations. I think she made a really good point, going on to say that with the stakes being this high, the dept. had a responsibility to the public to make sure it’s officers are fit for duty — Because as we see here, it can be a matter of life and death for an innocent victim… so why not do the prudent thing, hold LE to an even higher standard, and take these precautions and preventative measures? I don’t think it’s going to solve the entirety of the overall problem, but IMO, sounds like one logical step in the right direction.

 

[UrsulaWrenn]

I watched all four videos. After spending a few hours regaining normal human composure, I've concluded what I saw was the convergence of three conflicting energies:

1) The Official Training the officers received. The "best practices" way of handling all kinds of situations, from traffic tickets to mass murders. The right ways and whens to use raised voice, tough stance, assertive and domineering tactics, equipment and weaponry to gain control and to enforce the law.

2) The UNofficial Training the officers received. The "show 'em who's the boss" basics. The put 'em downs and keep 'em theres of kickboxing and wrestling moves. The effective, painful, unforgettable punishments of facial blows and groin busting. The angry red of tooth and claw that literally puts grown men on their knees, never to forget you are the last word 'til the end of their days.

<modsnip>

 

[Petunia83]

Moo..i think it is important to mix nationalities when making task forces.. i have anxiety issues so i actually listen to police scanners for a calming effect....moo

I think that they said only two of the five officers were members of the S.C.O.R.P.I.A.N. task force, though, so I’m not sure that isn’t already the case… I don’t know one way or the other for a fact, but it is possible (and IMO likely, b/c I agree, a LE special task force with zero diversity could be a recipe for disaster) that their unit was indeed a mix of ethnicities, backgrounds, etc. Plus, I think there’s so much focus on the value of diversity and inclusion today, it’s unlikely that concept wouldn’t have been considered and incorporated into these task forces… BUT, we shall see. I think we need more facts and info from MPD to verify.

 

[musicaljoke]

Moo..could you see yourself being a police officer? It does take certain personalities and mentality to be a good calm officer. For those that cannot watch video obviously you could not be in police force. Some of those men were just straight up violent..no that is not the way good policing is done. I think they could use a mix of nationalities..to calm neighborhoods. At Least they did not stomp his head..seen that do not think i could see anything worse ...moo

No doubt there are myriads of very competent members of the police force who do not feel the desire or need to watch footage of members of the force murdering a young man.

 

[BeckyF]

I have a suspicion these 4 former police officers have just made the job of thousands of other good police officers a lot harder. Shame on them! (And that’s the least of the shameful acts they committed)!

Memphis PD has lots of damage control to be done!

 

[MassGuy]

This whole thing is brutal and was brutal.

 

[MrsWatson]

Just as a warning, the Daily Mail website has video clips on the page, not hidden. Even the brief clip that is available and autoplays is awful. I really did not want to see any of it.

May justice be served.

 

[Ceska]

And honestly, why aren’t the rest of the officers who were at the scene and did not intervene (or those who arrived after the fact and did not render care), being fired, and prosecuted? As far as I’m concerned, they’re complicit and a disgrace to the badge… In her interview this morning, the Police Chief said that all officers have a duty to both intervene if they witness excessive force, and to render care and aide when necessary… they are duty-bound… so why are only 5 being fired and prosecuted thus far? Tyre’s dad told Don Lemon that they’d confirmed there were at least 10 officers on scene at various points, and those officers did nothing… I believe there are either two firefighters or paramedics (Chief Davis mentions both, I think she was trying to clarify which, but she didn’t finish her thought) who are being investigated, but from what I understand there were more than just two first responders there, as well… so what the heck? And this is me asking a legit question, not me being critical of Memphis LE… and especially not Chief Davis… I watched the entire extensive and very in-depth interview with her and DL this a.m. and I am very impressed with her; her comments, professionalism and how she has handled this thus far… so this is not me being rhetorical and beating up on LE, I legit want to know why the others have not been charged and relieved of duty too? What would be going on behind the scenes that would be causing a delay in doing so? Also, do we know who the first officer is that arrived on the scene? In the very first portion of the video, the part that starts out silent is body cam of a Caucasian officer driving up to the scene of the traffic stop that is already ongoing? Again, it was really hard to tell what was going on and who was saying what with the audio and there being no subtitles or transcript, so I’m not sure what that guy’s level of involvement was… I couldn’t tell if he was being physically or verbally abusive, or if he was the person using the taser? I DID notice the dude was so out of shape that he could only what seemed like a few yards before he was totally put of breath and couldn’t even engage in pursuit… which is a really bad thing if Memphis ever has to rely on this office to apprehend an ACTUAL bad guy… the military have to maintain a minimum standard of physical fitness, I have never understood why police don’t have to… I mean, IMO, one could argue that had that officer been in an adequate state of physical fitness and he was actually able to catch up with Tyre at the start, then Tyre may very well have survived because all of those other officers wouldn’t have joined in, and everyone gotten even more aggressive. Either way, the body cam footage shown at the VERY beginning of the video belongs to some unknown (unknown to me anyway) caucasian officer, not one of the five who have been brought up on charges… can anyone clarify that part for me, too? Do we have any idea who this person is? Perhaps this is unknown to all at this time. Thanks in advance!

I think, in time, we will see more people charged in this. I was shocked to learn that some (or at least one official) officials did not even know that some of their own deputies had been right there at the scene, and only learned about it after watching the video when it was released. I expect the EMTs who were there, to at least be seriously investigated. I really hope the cops who killed Tyre Nichols were drug tested immediately after this happened.

 

[ilovewings]

I watched it. My stomach is still churning and I feel nauseous. The news station I saw it on showed only the last few seconds with audio where he’s screaming for his mother. The other two parts I saw were pole camera videos with no audio. It makes no sense and I cannot understand. What in the world possessed these 5 men to behave this way??? I am not Black but I am a mother and I can’t even imagine the horror and torment his family is having to endure. I can’t imagine his terror and pain, wanting his mom to help as this went on and on. It’s absolutely inhumane.

IMO it is like all the anger, all the rage, all the negative feelings these men stored up for a long time, they let it all out on this poor man. As I said, to me, these 5 men became a mob, and fed off of each other's violent rage- it was also like "how dare you challenge me- how dare you run from me- you are going to pay"-- their egos took over, and there was no stopping them. I also think the EMTs are going to get charged for standing around and picking their noses while a man was dying on the ground in front of them. They were so full of rage and adrenaline they didn't even think about being seen on camera---