- The Memphis Police Department has fired the sixth officer involved in Tyre Nichols’ death.
- Previously suspended Preston Hemphill was sacked on Friday, sources said.
- Hemphill can be heard in a video of the traffic stop saying that he wants his fellow cops to “step on their ass.”
A sixth Memphis police officer was fired Friday. An internal police investigation revealed that Tyre violated multiple police policies in his violent arrest of Nichols, including rules regarding the deployment of stun guns, officials said.
Preston Hemphill was previously suspended as he was investigated for his role in the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who died three days later. His five Memphis police officers have already been fired and charged with second-degree murder in Mr. Nichols’ death.
Hemphill was the third mate of the traffic stop prior to the violent arrest, but not where Nichols was beaten.
— Memphis Police Department (@MEM_PoliceDept) February 3, 2023
In body camera footage from the first stop, Hemphill can be heard fainting at Nichols and declaring, “I hope they stomp his ass.”
Also on Friday, the Tennessee board suspended the emergency medical technician licenses of two former Memphis Fire Department employees for failing to provide emergency medical care.
Suspension of EMT Robert Long and Advanced EMT Jameel Sundridge Based on Official Efforts To hold officers and other first responders accountable for the violence against Nichols, who was black. Six black police officers have been fired and charged with second-degree murder and other charges. Another officer was suspended. The Department of Justice started a civil rights investigation to the attack captured on video.
3 Firefighters Fired After Nichols died. Former Fire Department Lieutenant Michelle Whittaker was her third employee to be laid off, but her license was not subject to the suspension on Friday. She remained in the engine with the driver during the response to Nichols’ January 7 beating, according to the department. He died on January 10th.
Emergency Medical Services Committee member Jeff Beeman said at an emergency meeting on Friday that other authorized personnel, including a supervisor, may have been at the scene and could have prevented the circumstances that led to Nichols’ death. Beeman said he hopes the board will address these issues in the future.
State Department of Health Attorney Matt Gibbs said the two suspensions “are not the final disposition for this entire issue.”
Board members released a 19-minute surveillance video showing Long and Sundridge failing to care for Nichols, who was unable to sit upright on the side of the car and lay face down on the ground multiple times. saw. They also reviewed an affidavit by his EMS Deputy Chief of the Memphis Fire Department.
“The (state’s) Department of Health alleges that neither Mr. Sandridge nor Mr. Long were engaged in emergency care and treatment of patient TN who was clearly in distress during the 19 minutes,” Gibbs said. Stated.
Board member Sullivan Smith said it was “clear to the public” that Nichols was “suffering terribly and in need of help”.
“And they couldn’t offer that help,” Smith said. “They were his best shots, but they didn’t help.”
Fire Chief Gina Sweat said she got a call from police after someone was pepper sprayed. collapsed.
Based on the nature of the call and information passed on by police, Long and Sandridge said they were “unable to make a proper patient assessment of Mr. Nichols.”
There was no immediate response to a voicemail left for comment on the number listed for Long. declined to comment.
An ambulance was called and arrived at 8:55 p.m., the statement said. An ambulance crew tended to Nichols and headed with him to the hospital at 9:08 p.m., 27 minutes after Long, Sandridge, and Whitaker arrived.
An investigation found that all three violated multiple policies and protocols, adding that “their actions or omissions at the scene that night did not meet the expectations of the Memphis Fire Department.”
Nichols was beaten after police stopped him for a traffic violation. It is shown that he is being beaten with a baton.
Six of the officers involved were part of the so-called Scorpion Squad, which targets violent criminals in high-crime areas. Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said after the video was released: the unit disbanded.
led to murder Reopening of public debate about the way the police treat black citizens with excessive violence, regardless of their race, both police and cops.
At Nichols’ funeral on Wednesday, Cries for reform and justice were laced with sorrow We mourn the loss of a son, brother, father, passionate photographer and skateboarder.
