Ex-officers charged in Tyre Nichols beating death 'laughed,' prosecutor says By Tesfaye NegussieKiara AlfonsecaDeena Zaru

**Opening Statements Begin in Federal Trial of Former Memphis Officers in Tyre Nichols Case**

The federal trial of three former Memphis police officers charged in connection with the beating death of Tyre Nichols began on Wednesday with opening statements.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Rogers presented the prosecution’s case, outlining the evidence jurors will see and hear, including "horrifying" body camera footage and audio. According to WATN, the ABC affiliate in Memphis, Rogers described the aftermath of the beating, stating, "They stood by his dying body and laughed," and warned, "These will not be easy days."

Defense attorneys for the former officers—Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith—also delivered their opening statements. John Perry, representing Bean, asserted that the evidence would show the officers acted within the scope of their duties, and predicted a swift verdict: “It will take you 5 minutes to deliberate,” Perry said.

Michael Stengel, Haley’s attorney, noted that Nichols did not stop for two miles after the officers activated their police lights and argued there was no evidence linking the officers to any personal vendetta related to rumors of a woman. “When they got the wallet [of Nichols] after the stop, that's when they learned who it was,” Stengel stated.

Bean, Haley, and Smith, along with two other officers involved, were charged on September 12, 2023, with violating Nichols’ civil rights through excessive force, unlawful assault, failing to intervene, and not providing medical aid. These charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The indictment also includes charges of conspiring to mislead by falsifying or withholding details, which carry up to 20 years in prison.

Bean, Haley, and Smith have pleaded not guilty to all charges. In contrast, the two additional officers, Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin III, have pleaded guilty to several charges. Martin admitted to excessive force, failure to intervene, and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses. He will be sentenced on December 5, with two other charges being dropped. Mills pleaded guilty to excessive force, failure to intervene, and conspiracy to cover up unlawful force. The government plans to recommend a maximum of 15 years in prison for Mills based on his plea agreement.

Tyre Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, who attended the opening statements, expressed her hope for a guilty verdict. “Our hope is that they’re found guilty and to show the world that my son was a good person and he wasn’t the criminal that they’re trying to make him out to be,” she said.

ABC News has reached out to the officers' attorneys for comment but has not yet received a response.

Nichols, 29, died on January 10, 2023, three days after a traffic stop, captured in body camera and surveillance footage, allegedly showed officers violently striking him and failing to render aid. He was also pepper-sprayed and tased during the incident, which sparked protests and calls for police reform.

Police initially stated that Nichols was stopped for reckless driving, but Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis has since said she could not substantiate this claim. The footage shows Nichols briefly escaping before being apprehended and subsequently receiving multiple blows from the officers. He was transferred to the hospital in critical condition and later died. The official autopsy report revealed Nichols died of brain injuries from blunt force trauma. Despite initial claims of intoxication, the autopsy showed his blood alcohol level was .049, well below the legal driving limit.

The five former officers charged in connection with Tyre Nichols’ death were all members of the now-disbanded Memphis Police Department SCORPION unit, a specialized crime suppression team.

On Wednesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Rogers informed the jury that the SCORPION unit operated under an alleged practice known as the "run tax," which reportedly dictated that the first officer to catch a fleeing suspect would be permitted to beat them, according to WATN.

Defense attorney John Perry argued that his client, Tadarrius Bean, was not present during the initial stop and only arrived at the second scene after receiving a dispatch call, as reported by WATN.

All five officers involved were dismissed from the Memphis Police Department for breaching its policies. In addition to federal charges, they also face state felony charges, including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated kidnapping, related to Nichols' death. All five have pleaded not guilty.