Source: Lucy Garrett / Getty
last year were convicted Thursday of federal witness tampering charges, but they were acquitted of the most serious charges, which means they will go to prison, but not for the rest of their lives.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith
— who had all pleaded not guilty to charges, including but not limited to depriving Nichols of his rights through excessive force, and obstructing justice through witness tampering — were all convicted of witness tampering for trying to cover up the beating that killed the 29-year-old,
the Associated Press reported. Bean and Smith were acquitted of violating Nichol’s civil rights while Haley was also found not guilty of that charge but convicted of violating Nichols’ civil rights, causing bodily injury, which carries a far lesser penalty.
All three men were taken into custody, and, according to
NBC News, the judge scheduled a hearing for Monday to hear from the defense attorneys about releasing them pending sentencing.
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While it hardly feels like justice was fully done in this case, both Nichols’ family members and their attorneys appear to be somewhat satisfied that the officers will go to prison.
“Today, justice has prevailed for Tyre Nichols and his family. The guilty verdicts reached today send a powerful message that law enforcement officers who commit crimes will be held accountable under the law,” attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci said in a statement sent to
NewsOne. “Tyre’s family is relieved that all three officers were found guilty and taken into custody for their loved one’s death. Tyre should be alive today, and while nothing can bring him back, today’s guilty verdicts bring a measure of accountability for his senseless and tragic death.”
Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, told reporters outside of the courthouse that the officers were, at the very least, charged with something that would prevent them from getting away with beating Nichols to death completely.
“All of them have been convicted of something, and they’re all going to jail. That’s how I feel,” Wells said, NBC reported. “This has been a long journey for our family.”
From NBC:
The witness tampering charges carry possible sentences of up to 20 years in prison. The civil rights charge against Haley carries up to 10 years in prison. They had faced up to life in prison if convicted on the harshest charges.
Two other former officers, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty to the same charges.
Mills took a plea deal in which prosecutors call for up to 15 years in prison.
Martin testified that Nichols was “helpless” while officers pummeled him and that afterward the officers understood “they weren’t going to tell on me, and I wasn’t going to tell on them.” Under his plea agreement, prosecutors will suggest a prison sentence of up to 40 years.
Hopefully, these officers all receive the maximum sentences allowed under the law. They did more than deprive Nichols of his rights
— they deprived him of his life. That can’t be emphasized enough.
See how social media is reacting to the verdict below.
