A former police officer from Memphis has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the death of Black motorist Tyre Nichols. Nichols’ death, which was captured on video as he was subjected to violent treatment by five Black officers in January 2023, shocked the United States.
Emmitt Martin admitted guilt to two out of four federal charges against him—one for violating Nichols’ civil rights and another for providing false testimony. This was revealed during a court hearing at a federal district court in Tennessee. Sentencing in the case is scheduled for December 5. Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, who was present in the courtroom, described the hearing as “very emotional” and “bitter-sweet.” She stated that the recent plea was a step in the right direction but added that she would not be satisfied until all the officers were held accountable, saying, “Tyre was just on his way home. He was just minding his own business.”
Martin has agreed to cooperate with the investigation, which presents the possibility that he may testify against his former colleagues, as he confessed to conspiring with them to provide a misleading account of the assault. “Driven by anger, Emmitt Martin used excessive force against Tyre Nichols on January 7, 2023. Driven by fear, he attempted to cover it up,” wrote defense attorney Stephen Ross Johnson in an email to Reuters. “Today, he accepted responsibility for what he did,” according to Johnson, who declined to comment on whether Martin will testify against the others.
Martin is also expected to plead guilty to related state charges in Tennessee, according to a statement from the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office. In November, another former Memphis police officer, Desmond Mills, also pleaded guilty to federal charges and agreed to plead guilty to related state charges. In exchange for a 15-year sentence, which Mills accepted, he was facing life imprisonment.
According to Martin’s plea deal, federal prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of no more than 40 years. Martin and Mills were among five officers who previously pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights violations and state charges of second-degree murder. The federal trial is scheduled to begin on September 9, while the state trial is on hold as the federal case proceeds.
The death of Tyre Nichols sparked nationwide protests and reignited the debate over racism and police violence in the United States. Nichols was stopped by police on January 7 for an alleged traffic violation and was aggressively pulled from his vehicle by the officers. One officer deployed a Taser against Nichols, but he fled toward his nearby home. Officers from a unit known as the Scorpion unit caught up with Nichols and beat and kicked him while he called for his mother.
After the assault, the officers stood around and talked among themselves while Nichols struggled with his injuries on the ground. One officer also took pictures of Nichols while he leaned against an unoccupied police vehicle. Nichols was taken to the hospital, but the ambulance left the scene 27 minutes after emergency medical personnel arrived.
Tyre Nichols, 29 years old, died three days later. An autopsy report determined that the cause of death was injuries sustained from severe trauma to the head. The police have claimed that Nichols was suspected of reckless driving, but no verified evidence of a traffic violation has been presented in publicly available documents or video recordings.