Former Memphis Police Officer Pleads Guilty in Connection with Death of Tyre Nichols
MEMPHIS, TN – In a significant development in the case involving the death of Tyre Nichols, one of the five former Memphis police officers charged in connection with the incident, Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty on Thursday to federal civil rights and conspiracy offenses. The announcement was made by the Department of Justice.
Desmond Mills, 33, had previously entered a not guilty plea back in September after being indicted on federal civil rights, conspiracy, and obstruction offenses. However, during a change of plea hearing on Thursday, Mills reversed his plea and admitted guilt on two of the four counts in the indictment – excessive force and failing to intervene. Mills also confessed to conspiring to cover up his use of unlawful force, according to the Department of Justice.
The tragic incident occurred on January 10, when Tyre Nichols, 29, died three days after a violent confrontation with the police following a routine traffic stop. The federal indictment alleges that Mills, along with four other former officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, and Emmitt Martin III – deprived Nichols of his constitutional rights during the confrontation.
According to the indictment, each of the defendants participated in beating Nichols during the traffic stop, failing to report the incident to authorities or emergency personnel. They also did not notify their supervisors about the assault, even as Nichols’ condition worsened and he became unresponsive.
As part of his plea agreement, Mills admitted to repeatedly and unjustifiably striking Nichols with a baton and failing to provide any medical aid, despite being aware of his serious medical needs. Mills also confessed to making false statements about the arrest and use of force used on Nichols in a police department report.
In response to the guilty plea, attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, representing the family of Nichols, expressed their support, stating, “Desmond Mills’ plea today is entirely consistent with our allegations in the civil lawsuit against the City of Memphis. We stand strong in our belief that these officers, including Mills, acted at the direction of a policy that not only violated civil rights but caused needless pain to many.”
The government will recommend a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, based on the terms of Mills’ plea agreement.
The other four defendants pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and are scheduled to stand trial on May 6, 2024. If convicted, they each face severe penalties, including life imprisonment.
Additionally, all five former officers face state felony charges, such as second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated kidnapping, related to Nichols’ death. They have pleaded not guilty to the state charges.
The Memphis Police Department terminated the employment of the five officers, who were part of the now-disbanded SCORPION unit, following an investigation into Nichols’ death.
[Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Mills had announced a change in his plea. The correction clarifies that his lawyer announced the change without disclosing the details of the plea.]