Sen. Akbari, Sen. Lamar issue statements after state trial for ex-officers in Tyre Nichols’ death
Jury finds three former Memphis police officers ‘not guilty’ in the beating death of Tyre Nichols
MEMPHIS — State Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) and Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) issued statements today reacting to a jury’s verdict finding three officers not guilty of any charges in the killing of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols.
On Jan. 7, 2023, the officers in question pulled Nichols over on a traffic stop that spiraled into violence. Nichols ran on foot after being pepper-sprayed and threatened with a taser. Graphic body camera footage and a police neighborhood surveillance camera captured officers then either restraining, kicking, punching or striking him with a baton as they took him into custody. Nichols died three days later in a hospital with fatal injuries attributed to blunt force trauma to the head.
Full statement by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis):
“I am heartbroken — and I am angry. What happened to Tyre Nichols was not just a tragedy; it was a brutal injustice. The world watched as his life was stolen in a horrific, senseless beating. And now, his mother, Mrs. RowVaughn Wells, and his loved ones are left to carry a pain no family should ever endure.
“We should not have to keep witnessing this. We should not have to keep burying our sons, our brothers, our friends. We are tired of demanding justice that comes too late — if at all. Tired of asking if our lives truly matter in a system that continues to treat them as disposable. Days like these are unbearably cruel. They leave us searching for answers — about the worth of a life, the unbearable weight of losing one, and whether justice truly exists for us all.
“Tyre deserved better. And we will fight — for his name, for his memory, and for the justice that still feels too far away.”
Full statement by Senate Democratic Caucus Chairwoman Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis):
“I am shocked. I am gutted. This verdict is a devastating blow to a community still grieving the brutal killing of Tyre Nichols — a 29-year-old Black man who died after being violently beaten by members of the Memphis SCORPION police unit.
“We all saw the video. We saw Tyre cry out for his mother. We saw officers act without humanity or restraint. This case was supposed to show that police can be held accountable. Instead, this jury’s decision leaves too many of us wondering if justice is ever possible.
“My heart is with Tyre’s family and everyone in our community carrying the weight of this painful outcome. More than ever, Memphis — and communities across our state — need police officers who protect and serve, not intimidate and harm.
“As difficult as today’s news is, I take some comfort in knowing that all five officers involved still face sentencing in federal court. That process must reflect the seriousness of their actions and the value of Tyre’s life.
“We have so much work to do to rebuild trust, reimagine public safety, and ensure that accountability in policing is not the exception — but the expectation.”
