5 former Memphis, Tenn., police officers plead not guilty to murder in death of Tyre Nichols
CBC
Five former police officers in Memphis, Tenn., pleaded not guilty on Friday to second-degree murder and other charges in the violent arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, with his mother saying afterward that none of them would look her in the eye in court.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith made their first court appearances with their lawyers before a judge in Shelby County Criminal Court.
The officers were fired after an internal police investigation into the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who died in a hospital three days later. His beating was caught on video.
At a news conference after the hearing, Nichols's mother, RowVaughn Wells, said the officers didn't have the courage to look her in the eye but that "they're going to see me at every court date — every one — until we get justice for my son."
"I feel very numb right now," Wells said. "And I'm waiting for this nightmare basically that I'm going through right now, I'm waiting for somebody to wake me up. I know that's not going to happen."
The officers pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. They are all out on bond. Their next hearing is scheduled for May 1.
The Nichols case is the latest to prompt nationwide protests in the U.S. and renew an intense public discussion about police brutality. Nichols, 29, was Black. All five officers charged in his death are also Black.
Addressing the courtroom, Judge James Jones Jr. asked for everyone's "continued patience" and "continued civility," stressing that "this case can take some time."
"We understand that there may be some high emotions in this case, but we ask that you continue to be patient with us," Jones said.
"Everyone involved wants this case to be concluded as quickly as possible. But it's important for you all to understand that the state of Tennessee, as well as each one of these defendants, have an absolute right to a fair trial."
Bean's lawyer, John Keith Perry, spoke with reporters afterward, saying Bean was doing his job at that time and "never touched" Nichols. That assertion is contradicted by video footage.
Protester Casio Montez talked over Perry, saying Nichols's death was murder: "You represent a murderer, bro."
Blake Ballin, the lawyer for Mills, said the process must be "based on the facts and the law, and not the raw emotions that our country is experiencing."
The public should be patient and cautious in judging his client, he said.
The former secretary general of NATO says he doesn't think allies will be pulled further into the conflict in the Middle East, but he's concerned the ongoing war with Iran will benefit Russia's economy and take the world's attention away from the invasion of Ukraine.
As American and Israeli strikes pound Iran — while it attacks shipping and energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf — U.S. President Donald Trump made a new threat to Tehran's leaders.
The armed man who rammed his vehicle into one of the largest Reform synagogues in the U.S. Thursday has been identified as a 41-year-old naturalized citizen born in Lebanon, according to federal officials.
With jagged cliffs rising from the Arabian Sea, the Strait of Hormuz is striking in its scenery — and these days, its emptiness. This resource superhighway, which normally hosts more than a hundred of the world’s largest oil and liquid natural gas (LNG) tankers every day, has seen no more than a handful all week.
The Canadian government said Tuesday it is alarmed by the escalation of violence and attacks in Lebanon, as the war in the Middle East expands.
In a resounding victory that is guaranteed to reshape Nepal's politics, rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah appeared headed for a landslide win in the South Asian country's first polls since youth-led protests toppled the previous government last fall.
China’s latest blueprint for driving growth in its economy was largely written before the U.S. and Israel instigated the most far-reaching war in the Middle East in decades.
U.S. President Donald Trump's firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday overshadowed the announcement of his plans to nominate Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin as her successor.
The truck carrying Nepali prime ministerial candidate Balendra Shah was swarmed by cheering supporters in the capital, Kathmandu, on Saturday, unable to inch forward as the former rapper, wearing sunglasses and a sleek black suit, danced on top of the roof.
Israel sent troops into southern Lebanon on Tuesday and warned residents of more than 80 villages to evacuate as the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group said it was ready for an "open war" with Israel in the wake of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump has given Americans a short list of his objectives in attacking Iran, but when it comes to the justification for launching the war and how the conflict is expected to play out, he and his team are sending mixed messages.
Omid Golabkesh dragged his suitcase down a long hallway marking the exit of the Kapikoy border crossing in eastern Turkey. He had nearly reached the end of an exhausting journey that included a 12-hour drive to the checkpoint from his home in Tehran.