Police Misconduct and Accountability: The Case of Tyre Nichols in Memphis
The release of explosive bodycam footage showing Memphis police officers beating Tyre Nichols has sparked nationwide outrage and calls for justice. Nichols' tragic death has reignited the debate on policing in the United States, leading to the termination and indictment of the involved officers. Leaders have condemned the incident while discussing the implications of police bodycams, training, and accountability measures. The response in Memphis has been praised, raising questions about replicating such actions in other cities.
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CQ Press Lecture Spark JANUARY 31, 2023 Connecting current events to your American Government classroom
Explosive Police Footage Leaves Nation on Edge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn1SesCk9CM* Explosive bodycam footage showing Memphis police beating a man named Tyre Nichols was released on Friday evening by the Shelby County district attorney. The twenty-nine-year-old Nichols would succumb to his injuries leading to the swift termination and indictment of five police officers. Cities across the country braced for protests reminiscent to those following the untimely death of George Floyd. In a press conference Friday, Nichols family called for peaceful protests, and urged other municipalities to emulate the decisive action taken in Memphis to discipline the rogue officers. Why was Tyre Nichols first stopped by police? *please note that due to sensitive nature of the footage, we will not be embedding videos in this slide. 2
Explosive Police Footage Leaves Nation on Edge Condemnation of the five police officers has been quick and bipartisan from leaders such as President Biden and Senator Blackburn. Appearing with Attorney General Garland, FBI Director Wray said he was appalled after watching the video. Five Memphis police officers were fired for their actions on January 7th and the Shelby County District Attorney has indicted the officers on several charges including second-degree murder, misconduct, and aggravated kidnapping. It was later announced that the police department would be permanently disbanding the special police force called SCORPION. What was SCORPION set up to combat? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp4EjLSE5oU 3
Background and Key Concepts The death of Tyre Nichols has reignited the debate about policing in the United States. Tyre Nichols was pulled over by Memphis police on January 7th for alleged reckless driving and sustained injuries at the hands of police during the traffic stop. An administrative investigation found that five police officers involved in the traffic stop had violated department protocols and they were subsequently terminated. The terminated officers were charged by the district attorney with crimes including second-degree murder, official misconduct, aggravated kidnapping, official oppression, and aggravated assault. National and state leaders who had previously viewed the bodycam footage described it using words such as appalling and devastating. Nichols family pleaded for peace in advance of the release of the graphic video. The bodycam video of the Tyre Nichols arrest was made public on Friday, January 27. Peaceful protests took place across the country. The Memphis Police Department disbanded SCORPION. 4
Assessment Writing: Explain why Tyre Nichols family praised the official response to police misconduct in Memphis. Is this a template that can be replicated in other cities? Debate: Would requiring police to wear bodycams serve the public interest or does it make policing more difficult? Poll: Can better police training prevent what happened in Memphis to Tyre Nichols? Short Answer: Why did Chief Davis agree to deactivate the SCORPION unit? 5
