Fact Check: The five former Memphis officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith, were indicted in state and federal court for their roles in the beating of Tyre Nichols, which occurred on January 7, 2023.

Fact Check: Indictments of Former Memphis Officers in Tyre Nichols Case

What We Know

On January 7, 2023, Tyre Nichols was stopped by five Memphis police officers—Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith—resulting in a violent encounter that led to Nichols' death three days later due to blunt force trauma (Killing of Tyre Nichols). Following the incident, all five officers were fired and faced multiple charges in both state and federal courts. Specifically, they were indicted for federal civil rights violations, including deprivation of rights under color of law and conspiracy to commit witness tampering (Federal judge in trial of Memphis officers convicted in Tyre Nichols case will not be sentenced this week).

In May 2025, three of the officers—Bean, Haley, and Smith—were acquitted of all charges in a state trial, including second-degree murder (3 former Memphis officers found not guilty in death of Tyre Nichols). Meanwhile, Mills and Martin pleaded guilty to federal charges and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors (What we know about the 5 Memphis police officers charged with beating).

Analysis

The claim that the five former Memphis officers were indicted in both state and federal court is partially true. While it is accurate that they faced federal indictments for civil rights violations and conspiracy, the outcome of the state charges was significantly different. The acquittal of Bean, Haley, and Smith in the state trial indicates that not all officers were found guilty of the charges brought against them (3 former Memphis officers not guilty in death of Tyre Nichols).

Furthermore, the claim does not specify the outcomes for all five officers. While Mills and Martin have pleaded guilty to federal charges, the acquittal of the other three officers raises questions about the effectiveness of the indictments in achieving accountability. The complexity of the legal proceedings, including multiple trials and varying outcomes, complicates the narrative surrounding the indictments (Former officers federally convicted in Tyre Nichols case will not be sentenced this week).

The sources used in this analysis are reliable, including established news organizations and official reports. However, the evolving nature of the case means that interpretations can vary based on the timing of the reporting and the legal outcomes.

Conclusion

The claim that the five former Memphis officers were indicted in state and federal court for their roles in the beating of Tyre Nichols is partially true. While they were indeed indicted, the subsequent acquittals of three officers in state court and the guilty pleas of two others highlight the complexities and inconsistencies in the legal proceedings. This indicates that while indictments occurred, the outcomes were not uniform across all officers involved.

Sources

1. 3 former Memphis officers not guilty in death of Tyre Nichols
2. Killing of Tyre Nichols
3. Federal judge in trial of Memphis officers convicted in Tyre Nichols case will not be sentenced this week
4. What we know about the 5 Memphis police officers charged with beating
5. Former officers federally convicted in Tyre Nichols case will not be sentenced this week