Fact Check: U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris Recused Himself from the Case Against Five Former Memphis Officers Convicted in the Fatal Beating of Tyre Nichols
What We Know
On June 13, 2024, U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris announced his recusal from the federal case involving five former Memphis police officers who were convicted in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. This decision came just days before the scheduled sentencing of the officers, which was set for June 17, 2024, and June 23, 2024, for one of the officers (AP News, Washington Post). Norris had been overseeing the case since the federal indictments were issued in September 2023 and had accepted guilty pleas from two of the officers (CBS News). Following his recusal, Chief Judge Sheryl H. Lipman was assigned to take over the case (Commercial Appeal).
Analysis
The claim states that Judge Norris recused himself on June 13, 2025, which is incorrect. The recusal actually occurred on June 13, 2024, as confirmed by multiple reputable sources (AP News, Washington Post, NBC Chicago). The confusion may arise from the mention of future sentencing dates, which could lead one to mistakenly interpret the year as 2025.
The sources reporting on this event are credible and consist of established news organizations, including the Associated Press, Washington Post, CBS News, and NBC Chicago. These outlets have a history of reliable reporting, particularly on significant legal matters. The information provided is consistent across these sources, reinforcing the accuracy of the recusal date.
Conclusion
The claim that U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris recused himself from the case against the five former Memphis officers on June 13, 2025, is False. The correct date of recusal is June 13, 2024. This misstatement likely stems from a simple error in the year, but it is crucial to note the actual timeline of events as reported by reliable news sources.
Sources
- Judge recuses himself days before sentencing officers in Tyre Nichols ... AP News
- Federal judge recuses himself days before sentencing ... Washington Post
- Federal judge in trial of Memphis officers convicted in Tyre Nichols ... CBS News
- ā á ǎ à、ō ó ǒ ò、ê ē é ě è、ī í ǐ ì、ū ú ǔ ù ... Baidu
- Federal judge recused from Tyre Nichols criminal case days before ... Commercial Appeal
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- Judge recuses himself ahead of officers' sentencing in Tyre Nichols ... NBC Chicago