The official reason why former Memphis police officers charged with Tyre Nichols’ murder initiated a brutally violent traffic stop last month is seemingly being upended as a new report suggests there may have been a different motivation to detain the Black motorist.
It’s added fuel to the lingering question:
Why was Tyre Nichols really pulled over on Jan. 7?
The latest apparent evidence that Nichols was pulled over for something other than reckless driving came Thursday when it was revealed that one of the six fired Memphis officers admitted he lied on his police report about why the traffic stop took place. The revelation came courtesy of a document submitted by the Memphis Police Department (MPD) in an effort to keep the former officers involved from working in law enforcement capacities ever again, according to local news outlet WMC-TV.
Preston Hemphill, who deployed his Taser on Nichols and encouraged officers to “stomp his ass,” initially told investigators the reason for the traffic stop was reckless driving. But the MPD document shows Hemphill, who was fired last week, admitted he never actually saw Nichols driving recklessly, contrary to what he told investigators.
Nevertheless, Hemphill — who did not participate in the vicious beating his colleagues inflicted on Nichols — approached Nichols’ car with his gun drawn, which is not the standard operating procedure for such an alleged traffic violation. Was there a reason other than reckless driving compelling Hemphill to draw his gun for suspicion of a nonviolent misdemeanor?
Hemphill was also found to have lied that Nichols started fighting with officers and tried to grab one of their guns, further damaging the former officer’s credibility.
The devil is in the details
Also helping to cast doubt on the reckless driving allegation is the fact that Nichols was never actually informed of why he was pulled over, according to documents from the Tennessee Peace Officers…
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