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

[Chelly]

The name SCORPION stands for Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods. There are more than two dozen officers assigned to SCORPION teams. They wear black hoodies and tactical black vests with "POLICE" emblazoned across the front and back, and drive dark colored Dodge Chargers marked with a SCORPION seal.

Former Memphis police officer on the SCORPION unit and the fired cops charged in Tyre Nichols' death

"I never thought this would happen," the former officer told CBS News.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[SuziQ]

...and that is Official Training.

Now add in whatever UNofficial Training they've received from independent sources, and ask how those teachings interact during high stress moments.

If the LEO way to do something is different than the soldier way, which wins out when adrenaline is racing, tempers have flared, and the tear gas is clouding both the vision and the judgement?

I think ex-military and military training should be kept far, far away from LE. It's apples and oranges, and when they marry...well...strange fruit.

The thing is, there is no military training that would allow for this behavior. The military doesn't train people to be thugs. What I think does happen is you get a pack mentality of like minded individuals. And that happens in every demographic. Imo.

 

[UrsulaWrenn]

Scorpions are predatory arachnids with eight legs that use grasping pincers to restrain and kill their prey.

The very idea someone looked at a group of local LEOs and said 'Let's call 'em the SCORPIONS" says something to me about the attitudes of the department. It says, "let's show 'em who owns this sandbox" and when the horror show starts it says, "we'll show 'em who gets to go on living".

ETA: I think when something like this name is being chosen, it's a show of workplace bonding and solidarity; not intended to be a mission statement. But I think those kinds of things become a hard-wired part of the human psyche in short order. The name becomes part of the identity, which leads to behaviors suiting the name....

I think everyone involved needs to remember: little things enacted with the best of intentions can carry terrible consequences.

 

[sds71]

Chief Davis, who became chief of the Memphis Police Department in 2021, got her start as a patrol officer in Atlanta in 1986. She quickly advanced through the ranks, holding various titles before eventually being named deputy chief.

She also led the city’s infamous *REDDOG unit, according to her biography on the Memphis police site.

*Run Every Drug Dealer Out Of Georgia

Memphis’ police chief was once fired from, then reinstated to, Atlanta Police Department

ATLANTA — The chief of Memphis’ police department had a lengthy career in Atlanta that nearly ended with her 2008 firing in connection with a botched investigation involving the husband

www.union-bulletin.com

Atlanta sued in police killing of 92-year-old

The family of a 92-year-old woman fatally shot during a botched drug raid has filed a lawsuit against the city and police on the first anniversary of the killing.

www.nbcnews.com

Atlanta Police Chief Disbands Red Dog Unit

Atlanta's chief of police announced he's disbanding the Red Dog drug unit as the department changes its focus to violent crime.

www.wsbtv.com

 

[passionflower]

Tennessee sheriff stands down two deputies over Tyre Nichols' death Tennessee sheriff stands down two deputies over Tyre Nichols' death via Home | Daily Mail Online

The group of officers could be seen standing around the injured man, first bumping each other as he lays twitching on the ground before an eighth officer appears and paramedics arrive.

So wrong!!! Just wrong. My sad and mad buttons do not work every reply goes to like. This makes me angry!

 

[passionflower]

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.

I’m right there with you. My heart aches for the family esp. mom. I think of my own sons and grandsons. I can’t imagine the pain of viewing this and I’m a stranger. What the sense in all this? Do these cops have sons? I wonder what their moms think of them? We’re these 5 mean at home? Do drugs? We need to know more about these murderers! The hate! Do they even care now?

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Nichols was 6'3, but weighed only 140 pounds, he didn't stand a chance against those <modsnip>. I'm glad all of them were fired.

After watching the videos, I think there should be more charges and firings. I saw one policeman walk up to the beating and then retreat. Others were milling around and rationalizing their heinous behavior. None rendered aid or stopped the unlawful act. Listening to Tyre's agonal breathing/groaning was horrifying.
Another thing made me wonder about the stop. There was a brief time where I heard one policeman say something like 'this wasn't the right car', 'it was a Mustang' and I wondered if they stopped the wrong person in the first place. The conversation may have been about another call but I think it should be further explored.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Scorpions are predatory arachnids with eight legs that use grasping pincers to restrain and kill their prey.

The very idea someone looked at a group of local LEOs and said 'Let's call 'em the SCORPIONS" says something to me about the attitudes of the department. It says, "let's show 'em who owns this sandbox" and when the horror show starts it says, "we'll show 'em who gets to go on living".

ETA: I think when something like this name is being chosen, it's a show of workplace bonding and solidarity; not intended to be a mission statement. But I think those kinds of things become a hard-wired part of the human psyche in short order. The name becomes part of the identity, which leads to behaviors suiting the name....

I think everyone involved needs to remember: little things enacted with the best of intentions can carry terrible consequences.

excellent point, IMO. Subliminal...

 

[Ceska]

IMO the Scorpion unit was a terrible idea. Not at all citizen friendly in any way shape or form. More like an intimidation unit. Reminds me of a bad scene in a science fiction movie.

 

[SuziQ]

When I watched the aftermath of the beating, I heard the five, telling others that rolled up, he high man, he on something, imo, delaying help. I also heard, he went for my gun, he was driving the wrong way, etc. Like they were making excuses for their behavior. None of this is proven at this point. And none of it excuses two officers holding up a half out of it Tyre, who couldn't stand on his own, and allowing another officer to punch him in the head 4-5 times. Appalling. IMO.

Tyre Nichols' stepfather calls for charges against paramedics Tyre Nichols' stepfather calls for charges against paramedics via Home | Daily Mail Online

 

[LaborDayRN]

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.

Thanks for the heads up @MrsWatson.

 

[passionflower]

So far all the news of protests have been peaceful.

 

[passionflower]

I did see a part of video were the guy is washing out another’s eye that has pepper spray. Did they spray each other trying to spray Tyre? And the lazer gun? I haven’t seen any names released of the 5.? are they in jail? Still out on street? I know they were fired but should be locked up.

 

[musicaljoke]

<modsnip - quoted post removed>

<modsnip> There are obviously problems in police departments but horrors like this don't happen with regularity (thank goodness): One of the problems is the type of person who wants to be a police officer: someone who likes control and power- and someone who is a tad macho-- not all people who want to be police officers have those traits, but a lot do IMO- as someone else suggested, there needs to be better screening procedures in all police departments.

I think this happens with regularity. If the officers had murdered the young man by shooting him, would there even be an investigation?

 

[BeachSky]

When I watched the aftermath of the beating, I heard the five, telling others that rolled up, he high man, he on something, imo, delaying help. I also heard, he went for my gun, he was driving the wrong way, etc. Like they were making excuses for their behavior. None of this is proven at this point. And none of it excuses two officers holding up a half out of it Tyre, who couldn't stand on his own, and allowing another officer to punch him in the head 4-5 times. Appalling. IMO.

Tyre Nichols' stepfather calls for charges against paramedics Tyre Nichols' stepfather calls for charges against paramedics via Home | Daily Mail Online

JMO but I bet they really tried to justify why they inflicted -this rage - once they saw that pole camera. There is no audio, but you can see several of them shining their flashlight up at the pole camera. Upon contact of a flashlight, it blazes a white circle. The officer with the limp starts to pace back and forth (soon after he sees the pole camera IMO)

MOO

 

[Eli9]

I think this happens with regularity. If the officers had murdered the young man by shooting him, would there even be an investigation?

Yes, of course there would be an investigation. It would start with the TBI.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

I did see a part of video were the guy is washing out another’s eye that has pepper spray. Did they spray each other trying to spray Tyre? And the lazer gun? I haven’t seen any names released of the 5.? are they in jail? Still out on street? I know they were fired but should be locked up.

They sprayed and sprayed. It looked like Tyre was trying to put his hands over his eyes, reflexive movement which I think they assumed was resistance to placing his hands behind his back for cuffs. So more beating resulted. MOO from watching the video.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

JMO but I bet they really tried to justify why they inflicted -this rage - once they saw that pole camera. There is no audio, but you can see several of them shining their flashlight up at the pole camera. Upon contact of a flashlight, it blazes a white circle. The officer with the limp starts to pace back and forth (soon after he sees the pole camera IMO)

MOO

great observation. So you'd think that would have made them stop and at the very least render aid. The number of LE there was just ridiculous. When I heard the rationalization that he must be on something, I was dumbstruck. He was talking calmly and coherently when they yanked him aggressively out of his car. Doing that must have scared him terribly. I would have run too. It was an incredibly aggressive and violent introduction. They're screaming obscenities at him to get on the ground and he says calmly "I am on the ground. I'm just trying to go home."

Edited to add: He was asking "What did I do?"

 

[Eli9]

I find it so disgusting to even think about an officer adverting his authority to commit abuse on those that he/she serves. There should be additional charges and penalties attached in cases like these. SMH

 

[passionflower]

WPXI news just said a peaceful protest has started in Pittsburgh. About 24 people now.