The five former Memphis police officers charged with the murder of Tire Nichols in a deadly altercation earlier this month will face charges in February.
The officers, who have already been released, will appear on February 17 for bail, according to UKTN News.
The hearing will take place at 10 a.m. ET before Shelby County Criminal Judge James Jones.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith have been charged with manslaughter. The officers were fired last week following an investigation into Nichols’ death.
The former officers each face additional charges, which are aggravated assault – act in concert; aggravated kidnapping; official misconduct and official suppression, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.
The police announced the resignation of the officers on January 20.
Video of the violent confrontation between officers of the now-disbanded “Scorpion” unit and Nichols, 29, in which officers beat him and use batons and tasers to subdue him as he screamed for his mother.
The officers were then seen after the attack failing to provide any medical care as they laughed and joked about their role in the shocking arrest.
The decision to “permanently deactivate” the unit came on Saturday after the city’s police chief CJ Davis met with the unit’s remaining officers to discuss a way forward in the wake of Nichols’ death.
“In the process of listening carefully to Tire Nichols’ family, community leaders and the uninvolved officers who have provided quality work in their assignments, it is in everyone’s best interest to permanently deactivate the SCORPION unit,” the department said. in a statement.
“The officers currently assigned to the unit unreservedly agree with this next step. While the horrific actions of a few cast a cloud of dishonor on the title of SCORPION, it is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department, take proactive steps in the healing process for all those affected.
MPD added that the department was determined to “take all possible measures to restore confidence that has been adversely affected by the death of Mr. Tire Nichols.”
