State evidence shows that Preston Hemphill, the sixth Memphis Police officer to be fired in connection with the Tyre Nichols investigation, lied to investigators after the deadly traffic encounter.
Following a disciplinary hearing, Hemphill testified in the paperwork that he had never seen Tyre Nichols commit the alleged traffic offense of driving recklessly or at an excessive speed.
On January 7, as Nichols tried to run away from the original traffic stop at the intersection of Ross and Raines, Hemphill used his Taser. The records indicate that Nichols did not have any weapons, did not initiate any physical attack or verbal threats, and constituted no imminent threat. According to the documents, Hemphill broke protocol by discharging his Taser for three seconds at a fleeing suspect in the center of traffic, as reported by WREG.
“There is no video footage to corroborate that statement,” the document reveals.
Hemphill also claimed in the paperwork that Nichols tried to grab another officer’s weapon, but no video evidence was found to back up this allegation. Hemphill reported that Nichols was fighting with his superiors. However, a surveillance film showed Nichols running away from the police as they tried to arrest him.
Hemphill got dismissed on January 8, and his employment was formally terminated on February 3. The MPD has asked a state agency to revoke Hemphill’s license. A former Memphis police officer has not been held accountable in court. In connection with Nichols’ killing, five other police officers have been fired and are being prosecuted for crimes, including second-degree murder. The prosecutor reviews current and prior cases.
According to a decertification letter sent by Memphis police to the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, Hemphill reported that Nichols had tried to take his partner’s duty firearm (POST). In January, a video showing police officers punching and kicking a man named Nichols, 29, stunned a country that had become used to seeing such videos of police brutality, especially against people of color. Several days after the attack, Nichols died in the hospital.
In decertification letters sent out this week, five more policemen involved in Nichols’ murder gave statements “not consistent with one other and are not compatible with the publicly known injuries and death of Nichols,” as stated in the official records.
Additionally, it stated, “Your statements were inconsistent and untruthful, and you documented false statements.”
According to the report, Hemphill was permitted to verify his version and confirmed to investigators that the information was accurate. WPSD says that if the state takes away Hemphill’s certification, he wouldn’t be able to work for any other state law enforcement agencies. Attorney Lee Gerald said that he and Hemphill disagree with Hemphill’s dismissal and are working on the investigation.
The district attorney has stated that the remaining five terminated officers will be arraigned next week on seven counts. The case includes aggravated assault, second-degree murder, official oppression, aggravated kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated kidnapping in possession of a deadly weapon, and official misconduct.
The Shelby County district attorney’s office said Thursday that it would review all past cases involving that five retired police.