(CNN) More video was released from the traffic stop in January Deadly police baton Dyer Nichols was delayed Wednesday by a court order as the U.S. Justice Department announced a review of the Memphis Police Department after Nichols’ death.
“Release of this information is subject to further orders of this court and will be ordered as soon as practicable in the public interest,” reads the order following a motion filed by Desmond Mills’ defense attorney, Blake Ballin. Jr. is one of the former officers charged in the horrific encounter with Nicole. Palin indicated his motion was an effort to ensure future jurors were not prejudiced.
Officials were expected to make an announcement on Wednesday 20 more hours of video A Memphis official said, along with some records of the city’s internal investigation into 13 police officers and four fire department personnel from the night of the beating in early January.
The official released on Tuesday After Nichols’ death in the west Tennessee city, a seventh police officer was fired and others were fired or left the force. previously, Six officials said Fired, five of them Accused.
The city plans to release additional video footage Wednesday afternoon, now that its internal investigation into the beating has concluded, Memphis Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Singh told a City Council committee Tuesday morning.
Sink and city spokeswoman Alison Foch both confirmed the delay to CNN on Wednesday. In a statement, Foch said the court’s order “may not release any video, audio or recordings related to the city’s administrative hearing until further order of the court.”
Fauci earlier told CNN that an investigation into the issue was underway Wednesday afternoon.
Notably, it was expected to include unreleased footage What was said after the beating and when Nichols was taken to the hospital by ambulance may play an investigative role as his office considers additional charges, The The district attorney previously told CNN.
The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office indicated in a statement Wednesday that it supported the decision to release “remaining video footage from the investigation.”
“Regarding other matters scheduled for release, our office must carefully review it to ensure it does not prejudice the defendant or jeopardize our case,” it added.
Palin’s motion and the court order “result from the need to balance the interests of transparency with defendants’ right to a fair trial,” he said in a statement.
“Police investigations often uncover irrelevant, prejudicial, misleading or inadmissible evidence,” he said. “The order issued today will allow all parties to review the information the Memphis Police Department wishes to release to ensure the public is not exposed to such evidence.”
News of the defense attorney’s legal challenge came Wednesday after the Justice Department announced it would review the Memphis Police Department in the wake of Nichols’ death.
The review, requested by Memphis’ mayor and the city’s police chief, will cover “policies, procedures, training, data and processes related to MPD’s use of force, expansion and special units.” A press release from the Police Department’s Office of Community Policing Services.
A public report outlining the office’s findings and recommendations will be made public at the end of the review, the release said. The announcement regarding Memphis came shortly before the DOJ released a Harsh criticism of the Louisville Metro Police Department It follows a separate two-year review by the agency after the murderous attack Briona Taylor.
Footage released earlier contradicted police reports
Nichols, a 29-year-old black man, was punched and kicked multiple times by Memphis police officers on Jan. 7 following a traffic stop and a brief foot chase. He died three days after being admitted to the hospital.
Five black police officers were fired following an internal investigation and indicted on criminal charges on January 26.
Body camera videos and surveillance footage of the detainee Released a day laterPublicly revealing the severity of the beating drew widespread condemnation from residents and police officials, and the district attorney said he was conflicted. What the authorities said happened In the first police report.
The video sparked a national debate about justice in policing and reform, shaking a nation long accustomed to videos of police brutality — particularly against people of color — and sparking protests. and awareness In Memphis and other major US cities.
The Memphis City Council on Tuesday passed several public safety ordinances related to police. One of them established an “annual independent review” of the police department’s training academy, and the other established an independent review process for use of force incidents and deaths or serious injuries to inmates.
The city attorney says a 7th officer has been fired and may even have retired
The city also plans to release on Wednesday some records related to internal investigations of 13 police officers and four fire department employees, including documents indicating why they are being investigated, Sink said.
He added that other investigative files contain information that needs to be redacted and will be posted online once it is done.
But Sink has already announced the bottom line: Seven police officers have been fired, three suspended, one retired and two had their investigations dropped as a result of the investigation, he said Tuesday — a seventh officer the city confirmed had been fired.
Details about the man’s name and what the officer was charged with were not immediately released.
The city previously said three Memphis Fire Department employees — two emergency medical technicians and a fire lieutenant — responded to the scene. Deleted, although no one has been criminally charged. On Tuesday, Sink said a fourth fire department employee had been suspended, but did not provide additional details.
The two fired EMTs did not perform a primary examination on Nichols for the first 19 minutes, and the lieutenant remained in the fire truck. According to A State Board of Emergency Medical Services.
A council member asked Singh if anyone who attacked Nichols was still part of the police or fire department.
“No. All those officers Criminally charged,” Sink said.
Those five former Memphis police officers were indicted in January He was arraigned on the criminal charges on February 17.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr. They each face charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. Second-degree murder in Tennessee is a Class A felony punishable by 15 to 60 years in prison.
Their lawyers entered not guilty pleas on their behalf. They are scheduled to appear in court again on May 1.
The five accused officers were part of the department’s special Scorpion unit Launched in 2021 for rising violent crime in Memphis. Memphis police announced the unit would be permanently shut down shortly after video of Nichols’ arrest was released in January, and the DOJ said Wednesday it would separately review special units across the U.S. and create a guide to supplement its review of Memphis. Police.
Police identified a sixth officer who was fired in February. Preston Hemphill, who is white, says he was accused of violating department policies including those involving personal conduct and truthfulness.
In addition, two Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Deputies at the scene were suspended Each was without pay for their parts in the case for five days, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release obtained by CNN affiliate WHBQ.
CNN’s Pamela Kirkland, Shimon Prokubeks and Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report.
