Memphis police chief calls treatment of Tyre Nichols a 'failing of basic humanity'

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/26/1151621971/tyre-nichols-memphis-police-chief

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said Wednesday that her officers' treatment of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, who died three days after a traffic stop, was a "failing of basic humanity."

Nichols, who was Black, died on Jan. 10, days after being pulled over for reckless driving. He fled the scene of the traffic stop but was ultimately taken into custody after what police said were two "confrontations" with officers.

Authorities said Nichols complained of "shortness of breath" after his arrest and was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Nichols' family said the police beat him so badly that he became unrecognizable.

Five Memphis police officers, who are all Black, and two Memphis Fire Department employees, were fired as a result of the incident.

[2naSalit]

1. If those people had been...

White, they would not have been fired.

[BlackSkimmer]

4. You don't think they should have been fired?

Do you know the details?

[2naSalit]

8. Calm down. :eyes:

Take a deep breath and...

Reread without preconception, please.


I was implying that if those people had been white, they would not have been arrested.

Where in this statement do I condone what they did? Where in this statement am I saying that I feel they should not have been arrested?

[ismnotwasm]

11. You are correct

They would have been placed on administrative leave pending investigation. Possibly fired later. There is a glaring discrepancy.

[2naSalit]

18. Funny how so many...

seem to have missed that point.

[BlackSkimmer]

12. I'll ignore your obvious (and unwarranted) condescension toward me, and I'll ask again...

Do you not think they should have been fired?

Where did I say that you condoned it? Where did I say that you felt otherwise? Hmm?

I'll wait while you point out where I said that to you, mmkay?

[2naSalit]

16. Perhaps it was your demanding tone,

And all those exclamation points that tipped me off.

I think whomever, not that I am obliged to answer your demands, should be fired, arrested and tried with a hopeful long fucking prison term for each regardless of age, rank or skin color.

mmkay?

[BlackSkimmer]

21. Mmkay! Totally agree!

Yessirree!

(and I'll try to work on the demanding tone, though I still can't see how saying" do you not think they should be fired" is demanding. But that's ok.

Some of us are more sensitive than others. No worries.

[2naSalit]

25. ...

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. If they had been white, some people would say more Black cops should be hired, in a department

run by a Black woman.

[BlackSkimmer]

22. Thank you WG.

This story is horrendous.

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

[BlackSkimmer]

3. Why is there not outrage over this case?

I've been out of the country, and when I heard of this case, I figured there'd be more interest in it here?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. I think part of it is that there has been swift action in firing and charging the cops, which some

may see as justice. Also, the public has not seen the video yet, and for many, the video drives the outrage. Also, I HOPE people are wrestling with the lie that "more POC and women in the ranks" would somehow improve cops' behavior.

[BlackSkimmer]

6. I can't imagine the video. I guess you're right, though I don't need to see that.

Five men beating another to death reminds me of the Rodney King horror.

Video or not, the result is obvious.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. IIRC, someone who has seen the video compared it to the Rodney King video.

[BlackSkimmer]

9. You know, whenever I see one of these incidents, I can't help but wonder how those cops act to their

families. That kind of violence is frightening.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

10. There aren't a lot of hard numbers for a variety of reasons, but according to one study, 40% of cops

reported being violent with a family member in the past year. Among the general population, 4% of respondents self-report abusing a family member.

[BlackSkimmer]

13. I would bet that's higher, but I've nothing with which to back that up.

But the violence we've seen exhibited by so many cops (race aside) is alarming.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

15. It's generally understood that it probably is higher, because it's a self-reported number.

[BlackSkimmer]

17. Yes, very sad.

Frightening to think about.

[Torchlight]

19. That poor guy.

I could stomach only a few seconds of the video, and CBS Evening News had a graphic of him in critical care last night.

These consistent self-inflicted stains by law enforcement are hard to watch. If nothing else, cops have to know by now that this stuff can't be swept under the rug anymore, and that cell phones can record through blue walls.

[Arazi]

24. I didn't know the video was out

Seems like the community is being calm since it’s been released

[Torchlight]

26. News is reporting it hasn't been released.

So I'm guessing the clip I referenced was generic stock footage being show during last night's airing.

[Catherine Vincent]

20. I don't think I will watch the video

The way the PD in Memphis and MSNBC is describing the murder, I don't want to see. 🙁

Rest in peace, Tyre Nichols.

[BlackSkimmer]

23. I'm still wondering why your OP doesn't have more recs.

Smh.