A second ex-Memphis police officer pleads guilty

On Friday afternoon, Tyre Nichols’ civil rights were violated, and Emmitt Martin III, a former Memphis police officer, admitted to doing so.

Just over two weeks remain before the federal criminal case was scheduled to go to trial before the impromptu plea agreement was reached. Out of all the defendants, Martin is the second to enter a guilty plea.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Martin, Desmond Mills, and Justin Smith were the five officers who faced federal charges for the use of excessive force, willful indifference, conspiracy to tamper with witnesses, and obstruction of justice through witness tampering.

Martin entered a guilty plea to charges of using excessive force and plotting to tamper with witnesses on Friday. We’ve eliminated all other counts. Though Judge Mark S. Norris stated during the hearing that he has the final say in Martin’s sentence, the Department of Justice recommended a sentence of no more than 40 years.

Throughout the hearing, Martin was seated beside his lawyers. Martin and his co-defendants remained seated in the audience during the numerous court appearances in this case.

“After the hearing, Stephen Ross Johnson, one of Emmitt Martin’s attorneys, stated that Martin used excessive force on Tyre Nichols on January 7, 2023, because he was driven by anger.”. “Terrorized, he attempted to hide it. He acknowledged his actions and took responsibility for them today in court. We have all seen firsthand today how Mr. Dot Martin has taken ownership of his actions. His plea was guilty. He acknowledged his accountability. Furthermore, today is a new day. ****.

In the courtroom were RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, Nichols’ parents, along with a host of activists. The Wellses are being represented by attorney Antonio Romanucci in a federal civil lawsuit, and renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump sat between them.

A maximum sentence of life in federal prison was imposed on all charged officers. The ‘U. S. The Department of Justice had the option to request the death penalty in this case, but they quickly informed the defense that they would not be doing so after the indictment was made public.

The federal system does not offer parole.

After the plea hearing, Crump told reporters, “This is not something we ever take for granted — that police officers will be held accountable and sentenced to real prison time for killing Black people in America.”. “Typically, we witness a slap on the wrist. ****.

In addition to stating that they were happy with the guilty plea, RowVaughn and Rodney Wells stated that they would rather all of the officers enter guilty pleas in order to avoid a trial.

Following the press conference, RowVaughn Wells remarked, “I feel like we’re going in the right direction, accepting responsibility.”. “There are three more that either need to enter guilty pleas or we need to find them guilty. I really hope that a trial is not necessary. I sincerely hope. Although it’s not something I want to do, my kids and I will endure it if necessary.

“After today, I’m hoping the other three officers will look in the mirror, admit their guilt because they already know it. “.”.

As the only two officers to accept a plea deal, Martin now stands with Mills. In November 2023, Mills entered a guilty plea to two charges: conspiracy to tamper with witnesses and using excessive force. Additionally, Mills entered a guilty plea in the state criminal case; however, the specific charges in that case are still unknown. In November, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy announced that the sentence will be served concurrently with the state sentence and will be exactly the same as the federal sentence.

A 15-year federal prison sentence was suggested in Mills’ plea agreement. Following Friday’s plea conference, Romanucci described the 40-year sentence as “a powerful statement of retribution” that took into account “the mountains of evidence that are accumulating.”. ****.

Mills and Martin won’t be able to challenge their convictions thanks to the plea deals.

Martin spoke infrequently throughout the proceedings. Except for one occasion when he stated he was there to alter his plea, the former Memphis police officer simply answered Norris’ questions with “yes, sir” or “no, sir.”. Martin responded with a single word when Norris asked how he wanted to plead.

Martin answered, “Guilty.”.

RowVaughn Wells was smiling slightly and nodding her head to an activist who was patting her shoulder as he uttered those last few words, and Norris proceeded to take the plea bargain. After Martin made the plea, Rodney Wells was seen holding his wife’s hand and massaging her other shoulder.

Two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct, and one count of official oppression have been brought against each of the officers involved in the state case. What counts Mills and Martin will enter a guilty plea to in state court is unknown.

It remained unclear on Friday afternoon if Martin would enter a guilty plea in his state case as well. Before the hearing, questions were posed to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office about whether Martin had entered a guilty plea with them and whether it would be comparable to Mills’ plea if he had. The office did not provide an answer to any of the queries.

Mulroy’s office released the following statement following the hearing:.

In federal court today, Emmitt Martin entered a guilty plea, resulting in a significant and just punishment. Our office has worked closely with the federal prosecution from the start to coordinate our state prosecution. Martin should enter a similar plea in state court when the time comes, we anticipate. For Tyre Nichols’ family, this represents yet another critical step toward healing. Despite the importance of today’s progress, more work needs to be done. The public should have faith that those in charge of upholding the law will be held accountable for using excessive force. We’re still fully committed to fighting for Tyre’s justice. “.

When Nichols was pulled over by police in the evening of January, both state and federal charges were brought. July 7, 2023. At first, the Memphis Police Department claimed that Nichols was driving carelessly before getting into a fight with officers, but interim MPD Chief Cerelyn “C. I. J. “There is no proof that Nichols was driving carelessly,” Davis subsequently stated.

The City of Memphis subsequently released footage of Nichols complying with police, despite the officers shouting contradicting commands at him when they pulled him over. Officers tased Nichols at the scene after removing him from his car during the initial stop.

Nichols was pepper sprayed by the officers before he finally leaped out of the crowd and headed in the direction of his mother’s Hickory Hill home.

Another officer tackled Nichols less than a hundred yards from his mother RowVaughn Wells’ home. Within the next few minutes, they struck him with a baton, kicked, punched, and pepper sprayed. Officers were occasionally holding Nichols’s arms as he was being struck.

In the footage, there was no indication that any officers made an effort to assist Nichols. In the end, Nichols was brought to St. The state of Francis Hospital is dire. After three days, he passed away. According to his autopsy report, he was killed by blunt force trauma to the head, which was also the cause of death.

It was three weeks after Nichols’s death that the five officers were indicted. Due to the attorneys’ agreement to postpone the state case’s trial until the federal case is concluded, there have been delays.

The federal case’s trial is scheduled to start on September. 9. .

This story was assisted by Brooke Muckerman from The Commercial Appeal.