Two more Memphis Police Department officers have been suspended following the death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, officials revealed on Jan. 30. Nichols died on Jan. 10, three days after he was tased, pepper-sprayed and beaten by several members of the Memphis Police Department during a traffic stop.
Preston Hemphill, who is white, is the sixth police officer involved in the stop to be relieved of duty — which in his case is not the same as being fired — in connection with Nichols’ death.
The seventh officer — who was not identified Monday — is known to have been suspended without pay, while Hemphill is still drawing his salary. Many are claiming Hemphill was being protected over the five Black officers who were seen beating Nichols to death on the video.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith were all fired on Jan. 20. Ten days later, on Jan. 30, the same day as the announcement of the two previously unrevealed officer suspensions, the Memphis Fire Department announced it has fired two EMTs and an MFD lieutenant in connection with the incident.
Robert Long and JaMicheal Sandridge, both emergency medical technicians, and Lt. Michelle Whitaker have lost their jobs after authorities say an investigation revealed Long and Sandridge failed to properly assess Nichols when they were called to the scene. Whitaker, who arrived with the two EMTs, remained inside the fire truck with the driver at the scene.
Hemphill reportedly tased Nichols times and is heard on the video saying, “I hope they stomp his ass” after Nichols ran away during the traffic stop.
Attorney Lee Gerald is representing Hemphill and confirmed that he had been relieved of duty pending an investigation. Gerald claimed that Hemphill is cooperating with the investigation and had not yet been charged with a crime.
“I can confirm that I…
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