White Memphis police officer fired over Tyre Nichols’ fatal arrest admitted he never saw reckless driving
Five officers have been charged with murder over January arrest
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New documents shed light on alleged the actions of Preston Hemphill, one of the six Memphis police officers fired over the death of Tyre Nichols.
Mr Hemphill, who joined the MPD in 2019, was fired last week for violating department policies around personal conduct, truthfulness, evidence handling, and the use of a taser stun gun.
Officials from the MPD are seeking to have him decertified from doing police work in Memphis, and new documents before the state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission further describe the former officer’s actions on the night of 7 January, according to Action News 5, which viewed the materials.
They describe how he told investigators that police stopped Nichols for driving at a high speed, but later admitted to not seeing any reckless driving. (The chief of Memphis police has previously admitted there’s “no proof” of reckless driving that would’ve necessitated the violent traffic stop where officers ultimately killed Nichols.)
Later, the officer told investigators Nichols was fighting with officers and tried to grab one of their guns, even though police video footage of the arrest shows no such thing occurring.
The documents also describe how Mr Hemphill allegedly failed to retrieve a part of the Taser he fired at Nichols, and violated department policy by using personal handcuffs during the arrest.
They further describe how the officer allegedly failed to properly collect and tag a cell phone found in Nichols’ car, violating department policy around the handling of evidence.
The Independent has contacted the Memphis police union for comment.
Previously, body camera footage captured Mr Hemphill yelling, “Get on the fucking ground. Finna tase yo a**!” at Nichols, and later telling colleagues, “I hope they stomp his a**,” after the 29-year-old Black men fled arrest.
Five former MPD officers, all of whom are Black, have been charged with murder over the arrest.
The Nichols family has argued that Mr Hemphill, who hasn’t faced any charges so far, is being shielded because he is white.