What the Tyre Nichols videos show.

[Social Media]

Bodycam footage of 29-year-old father Tyre Nichols calling for his mother as he is beaten by police in Memphis has been released.

Mr Nichols died in hospital three days after being pulled over for alleged reckless driving. He was pepper sprayed, kicked and punched by five officers who have since lost their jobs and been charged with his murder.

Video of the arrest, taken from body cameras and a surveillance camera mounted to a pole, was released in four instalments made public on Friday.

The BBC has reviewed the footage, which is graphically violent and full of expletives.

This article contains descriptions that some people may find distressing

[Social Media]

 

[Scott]

Tyre Nichols Cried in Anguish. Memphis Officers Kept Hitting.

MEMPHIS — The police officers kicked Tyre Nichols in the head, pepper-sprayed him and hit him repeatedly with a baton, even as he showed no signs of fighting back. At one point, after Mr. Nichols stood up, one officer struck him with at least five forceful blows while another held Mr. Nichols’s hands behind his back.

Soon, Mr. Nichols, 29, was on the ground — not far from the home he shared with his mother and stepfather — crying out in anguish: “Mom, Mom, Mom.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/27/us/tyre-nichols-video-memphis.html

 

Also here:   https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/memphis-police-set-release-video-showing-fatal-beating-tyre-nichols-rcna67710

[Scott]

What is the SCORPION unit, the Memphis police task force at the center of Tyre Nichols’ death?

The Memphis Police Department unit at the center of Tyre Nichols' death earlier this month has now come under scrutiny from critics over its approach to fighting crime.

The SCORPION unit, which stands for Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods, was announced in October 2021 and launched a month later. It encompasses 40 officers split into four teams who patrol "high crime hotspots" throughout the city, the police department announced in November 2021.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/scorpion-unit-memphis-police-task-force-center-tyre/story?id=96720313

[Credo]

There is a lot to unpack in this situation.  It seems that the US has a problem not only with racism, but with policing in general.   That's a pretty violent attack for a traffic stop.

[Bkk Brian]

If they stay peaceful it would be tremendous.

 

Mostly peaceful protests held across the U.S. after release of Tyre Nichols footage

Numerous mostly peaceful protests were held across the U.S. following Friday's release of body camera footage of the killing of Tyre Nichols. All five officers involved in Nichols' arrest were fired and charged with second-degree murder, assault and kidnapping earlier this week.

Protests in some cities led to the calling of the National Guard, while others affected transit.

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/27/1152255708/memphis-police-killing-tyre-nichols-protests

[papa al]

Normal police culture USA.

Edited January 28, 2023 by papa al

[NickyLouie]

Police in USA are absolute trash, they are screened to have low IQ's and are part of the corrupt system of jailing people for profit or screwing you in court to make you pay out if you have the $ to stay out of jail.

 

The country is imploding and the empire will be remembered in old Hollywood movies.

 

 

 

[bendejo]

Who is doing well by this suddenly coming to light?

George Anthony Devolder Santos

On the other hand he may be detesting it because he loved the attention.

US cable news is covering this 24/7, probably will until Monday.

 

 

[papa al]

14 hours ago, papa al said:

Normal police culture USA.

USA

45 cops / yr killed by guns in line of duty.

[Some shot by other cops]

Cops kill ~1200 civilians;

1/2 of whom were not criminals.

Like this young man.

 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, papa al said:

USA

45 cops / yr killed by guns in line of duty.

[Some shot by other cops]

Cops kill ~1200 civilians;

1/2 of whom were not criminals.

Like this young man.

 

Try and look at the true picture of Line of Duty deaths, your numbers are off.

 

https://www.odmp.org/search/year?year=2022

 

 

Then look at the other side using verified statistics and not your own posted info without a verified link.

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/585140/people-shot-to-death-by-us-police-by-weapon-carried-2016/

[tgw]

wow, what happened is absolutely horrible and appalling

 

from what I gathered from the videos, my best guess is that the beating was probably triggered by road rage.
On the video, the first stop occurred when Nichols wanted to turn left towards his home, I would speculate he cut the officers' car off, maybe did an illegal lane change or something like that, and some road rage ensued, maybe a finger was flipped or some insults exchanged before Nichols realized - or not - that the guys in the other car were police officers.

So everyone got heated up for the first stop already.

 

And then what follows is just horrible.

 

I'm not sure what prevented 5 officers from immobilizing Nichols, I suspect they had planned to beat him from the start, so they didn't properly detain him, but left him enough leeway for Nichols to be able to "resist arrest" and beat him up as a consequence.

 

I wouldn't say the officers could be sentenced for second degree murder though, I'd say it was aggravated manslaughter. The officers would deserve every second of the 15-year minimum sentence for that offense, probably more, and then the other charges.

 

I think it's time for the USA to implement everywhere a longer on-the-job training and evaluation period to determine if they are suited for the job.
Giving badges to thugs and telling them to go beat up criminals is not the way to go.

Edited January 29, 2023 by tgw

[Hanaguma]

Very true. There are places in the US where hairdressers have longer training programmes than police officers.  

 

Plus the contents of the training lean heavily towards paranoia and personal safety. "As long as the officer goes home at night" should not the objective, but it has become so.  Treating every encounter with the public as a potential life-or-death struggle does nothing but sow the seeds of incidents like this one. 

 

A great place to start would be to ban the use of hardcore military/black uniforms. These are signals that the cops are ready to go to war, not to uphold the peace. Certain special occasions/units (SWAT etc) sure, but not regular patrol officers. Ditto the reflective shades. OK when you are driving, not when you are interacting with the public. 

[Dan747]

Concerning Tyre Nichols, he would still be alive if he complied. It is the same thing that we have dealt with over and over, blaming the police for violent Acts. I agree that the police use more Force than they need to but if the suspects would just comply things would go 99% smoother.  

[Hanaguma]

2 hours ago, Dan747 said:

Concerning Tyre Nichols, he would still be alive if he complied. It is the same thing that we have dealt with over and over, blaming the police for violent Acts. I agree that the police use more Force than they need to but if the suspects would just comply things would go 99% smoother.  

"Just comply" . With whom?  When you have 4 or 5 angry cops screaming contradictory and impossible directions, there is no right answer for the person being detained.  Particularly in a case like this, where the initial contact was for a very minor traffic infraction.

 

Seems obvious that this is an extreme case of revenge for Tyre's "contempt of cop" actions.  When two officers hold him up so the others can kick/punch/beat him with a baton, they have crossed so far over the line that there can be no justification.  And I say this as a "politically to the right of Attila the Hun" guy who supports law enforcement most of the time. But in cases like this, simple human decency has to take over. 

[Scott]

A post with quoted text but no link to the source has been removed.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

9 hours ago, Hanaguma said:

Plus the contents of the training lean heavily towards paranoia and personal safety. "As long as the officer goes home at night" should not the objective, but it has become so.  Treating every encounter with the public as a potential life-or-death struggle does nothing but sow the seeds of incidents like this one. 

If I were a cop in a society that is heavily into well armed criminals I'm pretty sure that going home uninjured would be my priority.

However, I would never become a cop as it's just not worth it anymore. Cops no longer have any respect as PC hobbles them, IMO.

 

Seems that people forget that cops are human too and have to deal with things most of us never experience in our entire lives.

That's not excusing blatant excessive force as in this case, but if it's a case of no cops or cops that sometimes do bad things, I think I know what most people would choose.

IMO never going to get the perfect police force that never does anything wrong- that's not human nature.

 

What I'm pretty sure is going to happen though, is that less "good" people will join the forces as they don't want the attacks being leveled at all police people.

Much like males are hard to find as teachers anymore because of the negativity towards them.

https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2011/09/17/male-teachers-are-a-rarity-in-classrooms/30872523007/

Male teachers are a rarity in classrooms

 

What I find astonishing in this case in particular, is that they must have known they are on camera- they were even wearing body cameras- but assaulted him anyway.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 1/29/2023 at 4:42 AM, NickyLouie said:

Police in USA are absolute trash, they are screened to have low IQ's and are part of the corrupt system of jailing people for profit or screwing you in court to make you pay out if you have the $ to stay out of jail.

 

The country is imploding and the empire will be remembered in old Hollywood movies.

 

 

 

You said "they are screened to have low IQ's" as a fact not as an opinion. You need to back that up with proof.

[tgw]

10 hours ago, Dan747 said:

Concerning Tyre Nichols, he would still be alive if he complied. It is the same thing that we have dealt with over and over, blaming the police for violent Acts. I agree that the police use more Force than they need to but if the suspects would just comply things would go 99% smoother.  

did you watch all the videos?

he was on the ground, held by officers, he didn't try to break free at first, and he was assaulted by the officers while he was down. that's when he tried to flee and stopped complying.

 

[Hanaguma]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If I were a cop in a society that is heavily into well armed criminals I'm pretty sure that going home uninjured would be my priority.

However, I would never become a cop as it's just not worth it anymore. Cops no longer have any respect as PC hobbles them, IMO.

 

Seems that people forget that cops are human too and have to deal with things most of us never experience in our entire lives.

That's not excusing blatant excessive force as in this case, but if it's a case of no cops or cops that sometimes do bad things, I think I know what most people would choose.

IMO never going to get the perfect police force that never does anything wrong- that's not human nature.

 

What I'm pretty sure is going to happen though, is that less "good" people will join the forces as they don't want the attacks being leveled at all police people.

Much like males are hard to find as teachers anymore because of the negativity towards them.

https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2011/09/17/male-teachers-are-a-rarity-in-classrooms/30872523007/

Male teachers are a rarity in classrooms

 

What I find astonishing in this case in particular, is that they must have known they are on camera- they were even wearing body cameras- but assaulted him anyway.

I don't disagree with you, but the choice should also be "better trained and better led cops".  The standards to join the police in the US are too low, frankly.  In Canada there are very few police officers who did not at least attend college- one of my uni roommates became a cop after finishing an undergraduate degree in law.  In Ontario the basic training is 20 weeks, followed by a year of practicum at a department, under constant supervision by an experienced officer. 

 

Sure being a cop is a dangerous job, but that is known going in.  It requires a commitment to stay calm and keep a cool head under trying circumstances. A higher standard than should be expected from the public at large. Getting angry, using profanity, making threats of unwarranted violence, all should be unacceptable. It is, after all, a public service job. If you want fun with guns, join the military.

 

Body cameras are great...but in this encounter two of the officers switched their cameras off, and one had the camera knocked off during the struggle. Only 2 cameras were recording. There are also many cases where police switch off their cameras or turn the sound off so they can discuss things with other officers on scene. This is unacceptable. 

[ozimoron]

The greatest moron that ever graced politics. He doesn't care when its blacks killing blacks.

 

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) suggested that he would not take any action after the death of Tyre Nichols because he said that there is no "law that can stop that evil."

 

https://www.rawstory.com/jim-jordan-tyre-nichols

[ADog]

On 1/29/2023 at 9:29 AM, tgw said:

 

I'm not sure what prevented 5 officers from immobilizing Nichols, I suspect they had planned to beat him from the start, so they didn't properly detain him, but left him enough leeway for Nichols to be able to "resist arrest" and beat him up as a consequence.

 

Odd that they done it whilst knowingly recording themselves giving him the beating of his life.

 

Its as if they've done it before and got away with it, as the victim didn't die.

 

Western world has imploded and its getting worse.

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, ADog said:

Odd that they done it whilst knowingly recording themselves giving him the beating of his life.

 

Its as if they've done it before and got away with it, as the victim didn't die.

 

Western world has imploded and its getting worse.

And this one did not even get the full on black lives matter treatment either as it was Black police on Black victim/suspect

[ThailandRyan]

On 1/28/2023 at 10:39 PM, papa al said:

Normal police culture USA.

Far from it

[papa al]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Far from it

Blue-line gang flag;

of course ...

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, papa al said:

Blue-line gang flag;

of course ...

Gang flag your hilarious

[ozimoron]

Tim Scott is pivotal figure as Tyre Nichols beating rekindles talk of police reform

The lead Republican negotiator in the talks, Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), is widely believed to be exploring a presidential bid, and Republican strategists warn any deal with Democrats could set him back.  

Senate Republicans are expecting Scott, the only Black member of the conference, to take the lead in negotiating with Democrats after he spent months during the last Congress trying to hammer out a police reform deal with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and former Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.).  

GOP aides and strategists are doubtful that any reform deal can be passed by Congress that won’t become a political liability for Scott, given demands by Democrats to open individual police officers to personal legal liability for alleged misconduct.  

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3836639-tim-scott-is-pivotal-figure-as-tyre-nichols-beating-rekindles-talk-of-police-reform/

 

[Hanaguma]

On a local level, the Memphis Police have been in trouble for a while. Lots of officers quitting and retired, very low recruitment numbers, basically scraping the bottom of the barrel to get numbers up to even a minimal level.  

 

Even so, why were these 5 members of an elite anti-drug squad making a simple traffic stop?

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, Hanaguma said:

On a local level, the Memphis Police have been in trouble for a while. Lots of officers quitting and retired, very low recruitment numbers, basically scraping the bottom of the barrel to get numbers up to even a minimal level.  

 

Even so, why were these 5 members of an elite anti-drug squad making a simple traffic stop?

Maybe the answer to your question is your first sentence?

[Hanaguma]

1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

Maybe the answer to your question is your first sentence?

Standards were being lowered year on year- two of the accused joined the department in 2020 and could not have qualified in earlier years. Yet in just 2 years of police service they managed to get promoted to an elite special unit?  The rot begins at the fishes' head.