Memphis police discriminated against blacks, Justice Department finds

The Justice Department released the results of its investigation into Memphis police on Wednesday, nearly two years after officers fatally beat Tire Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, following a traffic stop.

In a 73-page report, federal authorities found that the MPD used excessive force, discriminated against blacks in enforcing the law, and conducted unlawful stops, searches and arrests. The investigation also found that the agency unlawfully mistreated people with mental health problems.

The MPD has been under investigation since January 2023, following Nichols’ death that year. Bodycam footage of the Jan. 7 attack showed that during the traffic stop, Memphis police officers kicked Tire Nichols in the head, hit him with a baton, doused him with pepper spray and beat him while he screamed for his mother, leading to his Hospitalization and his death on January 10th.

Footage of the attack also showed officers giving Nichols 71 commands, many of which could not be carried out, such as showing them his hands as they were cuffed and telling him to get on the ground as he already was. The five officers involved in the killing — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — were fired and charged with murder in state court. Two officers took plea deals and three were convicted in October 2024, including one found guilty of civil rights violations and two found guilty of witness tampering.

“The people of Memphis deserve a police department and a city that protects their civil and constitutional rights, earns their trust and keeps them safe,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement.

The Justice Department also identified serious concerns about MPD’s treatment of children, as well as deficiencies in policies, training, oversight and accountability that contribute to MPD’s and the City’s unlawful conduct. According to the department, the City of Memphis and MPD cooperated fully in its investigation.

As Axios points out, while the Justice Department has opened 12 investigations into police misconduct under the Biden administration, court-ordered reforms are still pending.

“This trial and these findings have shown that our city still has much work to do,” Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Reagan Fondren said in a statement. “Memphis residents are rightly concerned about gun violence and violent crime. They are also rightly concerned about the collective approach we need to take to address these issues. We hope to work with Mayor Young, Chief Davis, the Memphis Police Department and our Memphis partners to move forward.”

In its press release, the Justice Department said it would reach out to Memphis community members for suggestions on how to address the department’s findings and encouraged residents to email recommendations to [email protected] or by calling 888-473-3730.

The department will hold a virtual Zoom community meeting on December 9 at 6:30 p.m. CT, which can be accessed here.