Tyre Nichols – updates: Mourners honour ‘beautiful person’ at Memphis funeral as family urges Congress to act
A funeral for Tyre Nichols is underway in Memphis, more than three weeks after the 29-year-old Black man was fatally beaten by a group of police officers on 7 January. He died in hospital three days later.
Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the congregation at at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, where Rev Al Sharpton also delivered the eulogy and prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump issued a “call to action” in the wake of Nichols’s death and the police killings of Black Americans.
Rev Sharpton condemned the actions of the Black officers who are charged with Nichols’s murder, arguing that the sacrifies of civil rights leaders like Dr Martin Luther King Jr paved the way for their public service.
“People had to march and go to jail and some people lost their lives to open the doors for you. How dare you act like that sacrifice was for nothing?” he said.
City officials released the prior disciplinary records for the five officers who are now charged with murder, revealing that four of them had prior complaints against them.
Key points
Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols
Kamala Harris speaks at Tyre Nichols’s funeral
Four of five police officers charged with murder had previous infractions
Memphis ‘preparing’ release of more complete footage
Prosecutors weigh more charges against Memphis officers
Full story: Kamala Harris speaks at Tyre Nichols funeral in Memphis calling on Congress to pass police reform legislation
09:00 , Alex Woodward
Vice President Kamala Harris urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, bipartisan police reform legislation that passed the House of Representatives in 2021 but stalled in a deadlocked Senate with Republican opposition.
The bill, named in honour of the Black man who was murdered by Minneapolis police officers in 2020, was co-authored by then-Senator Harris.
“Let the memory of Tyre shine a light on the path toward peace and justice,” Ms Harris said in her brief remarks.
Kamala Harris calls on Congress to pass police reform bill at Tyre Nichols funeral
‘We mourn with you’: Kamala Harris gives passionate speech at Tyre Nichols’s funeral
08:00 , Alex Woodward
Vice President Kamala Harris was invited to attend the funeral of Tyre Nichols by his mother and stepfather, and the Rev Al Sharpton invited her to address the congregation gathered in Memphis on Wednesday.
She told his parents that “the people of our country mourn with you” and praised them for their “strength, courage, and grace”.
‘Blood on their hands’: Tyre Nichols’ mother warns lawmakers against blocking George Floyd bill
07:00 , Alex Woodward
Wednesday’s funeral for Tyre Nichols in Memphis saw a re-energised call for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, federal legislation that was passed by the House of Representatives in 2021 but has otherwise stalled in Congress.
‘The police are not always telling the whole truth'
05:00 , Alex Woodward
“Police are partisan actors just like everyone else in power,” writes The Independent’s Josh Marcus, reflecting on his coverage of policing and criminal justice. “It’s vital to take their claims with a grain of salt.”
Tyre Nichols’ death shows us the police are not always telling the truth | Voices
‘Elite’ police units in spotlight after brutal killing by Scorpion officers
03:00 , Alex Woodward
Memphis Police Department’s now-disbanded SCORPION unit – which stands for “Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods” – was introduced in October 2021. It was dissolved in the aftermath of Tyre Nichols’s death.
The Independent’s Graeme Massie examines several similar controversial units in departments across the US that have been accused of abuse and excessive force.
‘Elite’ police units in spotlight after brutal Tyre Nichols killing by officers
Marjorie Taylor Greene compares Tyre Nichols’ beating to shooting of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt
02:00 , Alex Woodward
Far-right congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene invoked the fatal shooting of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt after the mention of Tyre Nichols, who was fatally beaten by police.
She then suggested that people who have been jailed for their roles in the insurrection are facing “civil rights abuse” in jail.
Ms Greene went on to say that Congress was doing nothing to address the treatment of other participants in the attack, many of whom remain incarcerated ahead of their respective trials.
There’s a simple reason for that: Ms Babbitt was part of a crowd that was actively trying to breach a door that had been barricaded in a restricted area. She was shot by an officer while attempting to climb through a window that her fellow rioters had broken. Federal prosecutors have closed the case and the officer was cleared of wrondoing.
Marjorie Taylor Greene equates police killing of Tyre Nichols with Ashli Babbitt
Initial Memphis police report falsely claims Tyre Nichols ‘fought’ officers
01:00 , Alex Woodward
A leaked incident report on Tyre Nichols’ arrest and fatal beating by Memphis police officers contains glaring inaccuracies that were later exposed after the release of bodycam and surveillance footage.
The report, written two hours after Nichols’ beating on 7 January, claimed that the 29-year-old was “irate” and refused lawful detention, tried to start a fight with officers, and also attempted to take an officer’s gun, during an initial traffic stop.
Initial Memphis police report falsely claims Tyre Nichols ‘fought’ officers
ICYMI: Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints, records reveal
00:00 , Alex Woodward
Four of the five former Memphis Police Department officers charged for the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols were suspended or reprimanded in prior incidents while working for the department, according to recently unveiled personnel files.
The officers faced little if any consequences, according to the city’s records of their cases, and they were praised in at least two instances, with other officers describing their actions as one-time events.
Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints
Watch: Daughter of Rodney King reacts to video of Tyre Nichols
Wednesday 1 February 2023 23:45 , Alex Woodward
‘I’m Just Trying to Go Home'
Wednesday 1 February 2023 22:41 , Alex Woodward
LaToya Yizar, who says her mother was Tyre Nichols’ godmother, read a poem at his funeral invoking the words he told officers the night he was beaten.
From the lectern at Mississippi Boulevard Baptist Church in Memphis, she read “I’m Just Trying to Go Home”.
In his eulogy, the Rev Al Sharpton said that “home is not just a place.”
“Home is where you are at peace. Home is where you don’t have to keep your dukes up. Home is where you’re not vulnerable,” he said. “Home is where everything is all right.”
Full story: Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols as family calls on Congress to combat police violence
Wednesday 1 February 2023 22:30 , Alex Woodward
Soft purple light surrounded a closed casket beneath a wooden cross inside Mississippi Boulevard Baptist Church in Memphis, where hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the life of Tyre Nichols in a ceremony marked by the weight of his loss and a raging fury against police violence.
The 29-year-old Black man was fatally beaten by a group of Memphis Police Department officers in January, and horrific footage of the incident released last week has revived an international, urgent demand for reform.
Reflecting the far-reaching shock of his death, those in attendance at his funeral on 1 February included Vice President Kamala Harris, filmmaker Spike Lee and members of Congress, with a eulogy from the Rev Al Sharpton. There was also a “call to action” from civil rights attorney Ben Crump demanding “swift justice” against police who commit violence against Black Americans.
Mourners demand justice at funeral for Tyre Nichols
Tyre Nichols’s mother and stepfather speak at son’s funeral
Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:59 , Alex Woodward
In her remarks at her son’s funeral, Tyre Nichols’s mother RowVaughn Wells urged members of Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, federal police reform legislation aimed at addressing police misonduct and holding officers accountable for police violence.
“If we don’t, that next child that dies, that blood will be on their hands,” she said through tears.
“We’re looking forward to passing some bills. We’re looking forward to getting justice for all of the families over there, not just ours,” Nichols’s stepfather Rodney Wells said. “We cannot continue to let these people brutalize our kids.”
‘All I want is my baby brother back'
Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:51 , Alex Woodward
Keyana Dixon, the oldest sister of Tyre Nichols, fondly remembered growing up with her younger brother as she addressed a massive congregation gathered for his funeral.
“I see the world showing him love and fighting for his justice, but all I want is my baby brother back,” she said, speaking through tears. “Even in his demise, he was still polite: He asked them to ‘Please stop.’”
Ben Crump issues a ‘plea for justice' in funeral remarks
Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:28 , Alex Woodward
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has represented the families of several Black Americans killed by police, including the family of Tyre Nichols, issued a “plea for justice” during his funeral service.
His plea for justice for Nichols as a son and father “but most of all, the human being.”
Video footage of police officers beating Nichols did not include “not one ounce of humanity,” Mr Crump said.
“Why can’t they see the humanity in Tyre?” he asked.
Watch: Al Sharpton calls Tyre Nichols attackers ‘punks’ during fiery speech at funeral
Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:24 , Alex Woodward
Watch in full: Kamala Harris speaks at the funeral of Tyre Nichols
Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:20 , Alex Woodward
Al Sharpton condemns officers charged in Nichols’s death as he delivers eulogy
Wednesday 1 February 2023 20:20 , Alex Woodward
Rev Al Sharpton condemned the actions of the Black officers who are charged with the murder of Tyre Nichols, arguing that the sacrifies of civil rights leaders like Dr Martin Luther King Jr paved the way for their public service.
“People had to march and go to jail and some people lost their lives to open the doors for you. How dare you act like that sacrifice was for nothing?” he said.
Mr Sharpton visited the Lorraine Motel – where Dr King was killed – the morning before the service.
He invoked Dr King’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech that Dr King delivered from the Mason Temple in Memphis the day before his murder.
“Let us all be mountain climbers,” he said.
Kamala Harris addresses Tyre Nichols funeral
Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:53 , Alex Woodward
Rev Al Sharpton invited Vice President Kamala Harris to address a congregation at Tyre Nichols’s funeral service.
“You have been extraordinary,” she said of his mother RowVaughn Wells and stepfather Rodney Wells.
“We have a mother and a father who mourn the life of a young man who should be here today. They have a grandson who now does not have a father. His brothers and sisters will lose the love of growing old withtheir baby brother,” she continued.
Nichols died following “an act of violence at the hands and the feet of the people who have been charged with keeping them safe,” she said.
“This violent act was not in pursuit of public safety. It was not in the interest of keeping the public safe,” she continued. “Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe?”
She urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, bipartisan police reform legislation that passed the House of Representatives but stalled in a deadlocked Senate with Republican opposition.
Mother of Black man killed by Houston police officer calls on mothers to ‘stop all of this'
Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:42 , Alex Woodward
Tiffany Rachal, the mother of Jalen Randle, a Black man who was killed by a Houston police officer last year, addressed the family of Tyre Nichols during his funeral before singing “Lord I Will Lift My Eyes to the Hills.”
Randle, like Nichols, was 29 years old when he died.
“I pray that God bless you. I pray that God heal your broken heart,” she said.
Addressing mothers who have endured police shootings, she said that “we are fighting together and all of the mothers all over the world need to come together and stop all of this.”
Kamala Harris arrives in Memphis
Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:17 , Alex Woodward
Vice President Kamala Harris has arrived in Memphis to attend the funeral of Tyre Nichols.
The program for the ‘Celebration of Life for Tyre Nichols’
Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:27 , Alex Woodward
A program for the funeral of Tyre Nichols – a “Celebration of Life for Tyre Nichols” – reads that he “loved skateboarding, watching the sunset, photography and most of all helping people.”
“He had the most infectious smile,” it reads.
It prominently features a quote of his that was on his photography website: “My vision is to bring my viewers deep into what I am seeing through my eye and out through my lens.”
Senior pastor begins funeral service
Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:15 , Alex Woodward
In opening remarks, Senior Pastor Rev J Lawrence Turner said the fmaily of Tyre Nichols has “endured the unsolicited .... and unjustifiable burden of grieving their loved one and at the same time demanding justice.”
“We’re praying for you that God will continue to give you strength, because your strength has held us steady, and helped us constructively channel our outrage and turn our anger into action,” he said.
Watch: Funeral service begins in Memphis for Tyre Nichols
Wednesday 1 February 2023 18:58 , Alex Woodward
The Rev Al Sharpton will deliver a eulogy at the funeral for Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis this afternoon.
Vice President Kamala Harris and members of the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are expected to attend. Pastor J Lawrence Turner expects as many as 2,500 in attendance.
The service begins at 1pm central time.
Funeral for Tyre Nichols begins soon
Wednesday 1 February 2023 18:20 , Alex Woodward
Mourners are beginning to gather for a funeral service for Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis.
The service will begin at 1pm central time.
Church pastor expects 2,500 in attendance
Wednesday 1 February 2023 17:30 , Alex Woodward
The senior pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church told USA Today that he expects the church to be “at capacity” for the afternoon funeral service for Tyre Nichols.
“I think there will be north of 2,500 persons there,” the Rev J Lawrence Turner said. “Our staff and a committed team of volunteers are working together in coordination with the team from [Ben Crump’s law firm] and the National Action Network to accommodate everyone who is coming to celebrate Tyre Nichols’s life.”
The Rev Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network civil rights organisation, said that he was invited by Nichols’s family to deliver a euology at the service.
“They asked me if I would come do a eulogy,” he told The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I told them I’d be honored to do it.”
Members of the Biden administration to attend funeral
Wednesday 1 February 2023 17:00 , Alex Woodward
At least three members of President Joe Biden’s administration will attend Tyre Nichols’s funeral in Memphis on Wednesday afternoon, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who spoke with his family earlier this week.
A statement from their attorney Ben Crump said his mother RowVaughn Wells and stepfather Rodney Wells invited her.
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms – who is a senior advisor and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement – also is expected to attend.
So is former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who now serves as a senior White House adviser overseeing the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Memphis police ‘SCORPION’ unit had $28m annual budget
Wednesday 1 February 2023 16:33 , Alex Woodward
The now-dissolved unit involved with the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols operated with a $28m annual budget from the time of its creation in 2021 until it was disbanded after the release of video footage of the officers brutally attacking the 29-year-old Black man.
The Memphis Police Department’s now-former unit – Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods, or SCORPION – was among highly armed and armoured local police details across the US deployed in “high crime” areas that have faced waves of criticism, scandal and allegations of abuse.
The Independent’s Graeme Massie explains:
‘Elite’ police units in spotlight after brutal Tyre Nichols killing by officers
Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints, records reveal
Wednesday 1 February 2023 16:00 , Alex Woodward
Four of the five former Memphis Police Department officers charged for the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols were suspended or reprimanded in prior incidents while working for the department, according to recently unveiled personnel files.
Two of the officers were written up after failing to fill out required reports about the use of force during arrests. Two other officers were suspended without pay for traffic accidents, and one of those officers was suspended for failing to file a report about an incident of domestic abuse.
They faced little if any consequences, according to reviews of the officers’ records, and they were praised in at least two instances, with other officers describing their actions as one-time events.
Four of five officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols had prior complaints
Who is attending Tyre Nichols’s funeral?
Wednesday 1 February 2023 15:30 , Alex Woodward
Those in attendance at today’s service will include the Rev Al Sharpton, who will deliver a euology, and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The former mayors of Atlanta and New Orleans – Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mitch Landrieu, both of whom now work in President Joe Biden’s administration – will also attend.
What time is Tyre Nichols’ funeral and who is attending?
Memphis prepares to lay Nichols to rest
Wednesday 1 February 2023 15:15 , Alex Woodward
A funeral for Tyre Nichols will begin later this morning inside Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis.
Winter weather had delayed the service, which will take place three weeks after Nichols’s fatal beating by Memphis Police Department officers.
The service will begin at 1pm central time.
Memphis is ‘preparing’ release of more complete footage
Wednesday 1 February 2023 14:37 , Alex Woodward
The city of Memphis is responding to calls for the full release of footage related to the arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, including audio and video footage, which could be releaed within the “next few weeks,” according to a city spokesperson.
Jennifer Sink, Chief Legal Officer for the city, said that the “premature release of the video and audio could compromise our administrative investigation” into his fatal beating.
“The City is preparing to release these recordings publicly upon completion of the administrative investigation, which is expected to occur in the next few weeks,” she added. “Mr Nichols’ family and attorneys have been afforded an opportunity to view the entirety of the audio and video footage privately until it can be released publicly. We request the public’s patience while we complete our investigation”.
A question central to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols: Why was he even being pulled over?
Wednesday 1 February 2023 14:00 , Alex Woodward
Footage of the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols has directly contradicted initial police reports, and an initial claim that he was pulled over for “reckless driving” was effectively retracted by officials in the wake of his death.
“I’m going to be honest with you about the stop itself. What was said was there was witnessing of what was considered reckless driving,” police chief Cerelyn Davis told CNN on Friday.
“We’ve looked at cameras. We’ve looked at body worn cameras. Even if something occurred prior to this stop, we’ve been unable to substantiate it,” she said.
All told, according to the Memphis Police Department, two different altercations occurred between Nichols and officers over the course of the stop, the latter taking place just blocks from Nichols’s home.
Here’s what we know so far:
