A recent report by Fox 13 reveals that the five former officers of the Memphis Police, previously convicted of federal charges in connection to the horrific beating of Tyre Nichols, are slated to receive new sentencing dates.
Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith, charged with obstructing justice, will face sentencing on December 15 and 16, while Demetrius Haley, found guilty of obstruction and excessive use of force, is scheduled for December 17. Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., who made plea deals before facing federal court, will be sentenced on December 18 and 19.
A delay in these sentencing procedures arose from the sudden withdrawal of Judge Mark Norris. Initially, this group was meant to be sentenced in June 2025. However, with Norris stepping back from the case just days prior, U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman has taken over. According to CNN, there might be changes to the scheduling based on her decisions regarding sealed motions, which include a new trial request for three of the officers.
This unforeseen change raised eyebrows, as it’s unusual for a judge to recuse themselves from a case amidst a trial and sentencing phase. Norris had been at the helm since federal indictments were issued in September 2023, accepting guilty pleas and overseeing the trials of these officers. Additionally, he distanced himself from a $550 million lawsuit brought forth by Nichols’ mother against Memphis city, the police chief, and the five former officers involved.
Judge Lipman is now also responsible for the lawsuit regarding the case. Additionally, she’s weighing whether to unseal the recusal notice that was provided by Norris.
The events surrounding Tyre Nichols’ tragic death on January 7, 2023, galvanized the nation, as video footage showed the five officers brutally pulling, pepper-spraying, and tasing the 29-year-old Black man. Despite fleeing in fear, Nichols was caught and subjected to further violence, with punches and kicks administered in a brutal fashion just steps from his home. He passed away from his injuries on January 10, 2023.
What sets this case apart from others that involved police violence against Black individuals—such as with Mike Brown, Alton Sterling, or Breonna Taylor—is that Bean, Haley, Martin, Mills, and Smith were fired and indicted both at the state and federal levels.
Throughout the past two years, the case has experienced-many twists, including Bean, Haley, and Smith being found not guilty of all state charges, such as second-degree murder, disturbing many onlookers.
Mills testified during the trial after pleading guilty to state charges, expressing remorse over not intervening during the incident, yet he maintained that Nichols pretended to resist arrest and ignored commands to present his hands for handcuffing.
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