Tyre Nichols: Police unit is disbanded after death

The Memphis Police Department has disbanded the alleged Scorpion peculiar unit, whose officers are accused of murdering Tyre Nichols.

Scorpion stands for "Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace successful Our Neighborhoods".

The portion is simply a 50-person portion with the ngo of bringing down transgression levels successful peculiar areas.

But present it is being abolished aft its officers were seen beating Mr Nichols, 29, successful the videos from 7 January.

In a statement, the section said "it is successful the champion involvement of each to permanently deactivate" the unit.

"While the heinous actions of a fewer casts a unreality of dishonour connected the rubric Scorpion, it is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department, instrumentality proactive steps successful the healing process for each impacted," it added.

The portion was launched successful October 2021 with a absorption connected high-impact crimes, specified arsenic car thefts and gang-related offences.

The 5 officers - Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr, Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith - were fired past week.

They were taken into custody connected Thursday and each faces charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, authoritative misconduct and authoritative oppression.

Four of the 5 posted bail and were released from custody by Friday morning, according to jailhouse records.

Lawyers for Mr Martin and Mr Mills person said their clients volition plead not guilty.

Police initially said Mr Nichols had been stopped connected suspicion of reckless driving, which has not been substantiated. He died successful infirmary 3 days later, connected 10 January.

Mr Nichols was black, arsenic are each 5 officers charged successful the case.

Memphis Police Department released 4 graphic videos of the postulation halt and its convulsive aftermath connected Friday, totalling much than an hr of footage.

Peaceful protests took spot successful Memphis connected Friday nighttime aft the video was released, with immoderate demonstrators blocking a large road successful the city, portion small-scale demonstrations were held elsewhere successful the country.

Many protesters held banners demanding justness for Mr Nichols and an extremity to "police terror".

Lawyers for Mr Nichols' household likened the battle to the 1991 constabulary beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King.