On Wednesday, a Tennessee jury acquitted three former Memphis police officers—Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith—of all state charges, including second-degree murder, in the brutal and fatal beating of Tyre Nichols on January 7, 2023.

The verdict came after a nine-day trial that included graphic video evidence, expert testimony and witness accounts of the killing of Nichols. The acquittal has once again brought to the fore the reality of police violence and murder in America. It shows the persistent protection of criminal actions by law enforcement by the legal system and lack of justice for the victims of police brutality, whether the officers are black or white and regardless of the skin color of their victims.

The state trial unfolded in a Memphis courtroom before Criminal Judge James Jones, Jr. which was packed with observers, media and members of Nichols’ family. The jury, drawn from nearby Hamilton County due to concerns about pretrial publicity in Memphis, was predominantly white and deliberated for over eight hours before reaching its decision.

The three officers faced charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression for their roles in the vicious beating of Nichols, a 29-year-old FedEx worker and amateur photographer.

Testimony from prosecution witnesses painted a harrowing picture of the night Nichols was killed. Desmond Mills Jr., a former officer who pleaded guilty to federal charges and testified for the prosecution, described how he struck Nichols three times with a baton out of anger after accidentally pepper-spraying himself during the struggle.

“I regret not stopping the beating. I failed my duty to intervene,” Mills told the court. He confirmed that Nichols never punched or kicked officers but acknowledged that Nichols resisted being handcuffed. Under cross-examination, Mills said that some force used complied with Memphis Police Department policies, including wrist locks and baton strikes.

Dr. Marco Ross, the medical examiner, detailed Nichols’ fatal injuries, including tears and bleeding in the brain, extensive bruising and a broken neck. He concluded the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, consistent with repeated kicks and punches.

Nichols’ mother, Row Vaughn Wells, took the stand to describe her son as a “peaceful soul,” who loved photography and skateboarding. Wells refuted defense claims that Nichols’ resistance justified the violence, stating, “He was scared. They treated him like an animal.”

The defense called use-of-force experts to testify that Bean, Haley and Smith acted within department guidelines. They argued that Nichols’ resistance—including attempts to “swim” out of officers’ grips—required escalating force. One expert told the jury, “The officers’ adrenaline and fear of an armed suspect justified their response.”

Character witnesses described Bean as a “by-the-book officer” and Smith as “calm under pressure,” portraying them as inexperienced but well-intentioned recruits. Although Emmitt Martin, another officer who pleaded guilty, did not testify, defense attorneys repeatedly shifted blame to him, highlighting his role in delivering the most severe blows. Security footage showed Martin kicking Nichols in the head at least twice.

The prosecution argued that the officers’ actions were driven by frustration, not legitimate policing. Video evidence showed Nichols being kicked, punched and baton-struck for over three minutes while pinned to the ground. Prosecutors emphasized that Haley shouted, “Beat that man!” during the assault. The officers waited 22 minutes to render aid, during which Nichols slumped unconscious against a patrol car.

Prosecutors also pointed out that Bean and Smith were later convicted in federal court for falsifying reports that omitted key details of the beating, a standard coverup tactic used by police in most cases of violence and abuse.

The defense focused on Nichols’ actions and claimed he had “superhuman strength,” suggesting drug use was the cause. However, toxicology reports only found alcohol and a trace of marijuana in his system. They also argued that stolen credit cards in Nichols’ car were a possible motivation to flee.

Despite their acquittal in state court, all three officers were convicted in federal court on October 3, 2024, on related charges. Bean and Smith were found guilty of witness tampering, carrying potential sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison. Haley was convicted of multiple counts, including excessive force and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses, and faces a possible life sentence without parole.

Sentencing in the federal cases has been postponed pending the outcome of the state trial. Martin and Mills accepted plea deals in federal court, admitting to excessive force and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses and will serve concurrent federal and state sentences.

Ben Crump, representing Nichols’ family, condemned the verdict in a joint statement with co-counsel Antonio Romanucci:

Today’s verdicts represent a heartbreaking miscarriage of justice. The world witnessed Tyre Nichols endure a brutal beating at the hands of those sworn to protect. This inhumane assault was documented on video, yet the officers involved have been acquitted. Tyre’s life was unjustly taken, and his family has been denied the justice they rightfully deserve. We are outraged and know we are not alone.

The World Socialist Web Site, in its January 31, 2023 analysis, rejected the mainstream media’s racialized narrative of the Nichols killing and police violence in general, noting that all five officers involved, as well as Nichols himself, were African American. The WSWS wrote,

No evidence has been presented that the January 7 “traffic stop” of Nichols, and subsequent police assault, were motivated by racism. And while racist and backward attitudes are cultivated by the ruling class in police departments around the world, the racial composition of the Memphis Police Department roughly corresponds to that of the working class population of Memphis.

We explained that the focus on race serves to obscure the deeper, class-based roots of police violence in the United States, which is fundamentally tied to the defense of capitalist property and the suppression of working class opposition. We also highlighted the initial false statements by the Memphis Police Department, which downplayed the severity of the assault and only acknowledged the truth after public outrage and the release of video footage.

In the aftermath of the verdict, the Nichols’ family has filed a $550 million civil lawsuit against the officers, the city of Memphis, and the police chief, with a trial expected next year. Protests have condemned the verdict as proof of “legalized immunity” for police violence, and Memphis residents have vowed continued demonstrations.

The acquittal of Bean, Haley and Smith in state court, despite federal convictions and the widely broadcast video evidence, underscores the class nature of the American legal system’s response to police violence. The case exemplifies how legal and political institutions work to shield state violence against the working class and poor, whether white, black or immigrant. More than 1,000 Americans fall victim to police violence every year, while only a literal handful of police officers ever face any criminal prosecution.