State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) on Wednesday blamed Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy after a Hamilton County jury acquitted three former Memphis police officers who were charged with second-degree murder for the death of Tyre Nichols, who died after being pepper sprayed, tasered, and beaten when he attempted to flee from a routine traffic stop while on foot.
Despite being acquitted by the Tennessee journey, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith nonetheless face years in prison after the federal trial over Nichols’ death last year. Bean and Smith were found guilty of witness tampering, and now face up to 20 years in prison, while Haley was additionally found guilty of witness tampering and civil rights violations, which could result in a life sentence.
The discrepancy between the outcome of the federal charges versus those levied by Mulroy in Tennessee was called “typical” in a post by Taylor to the social media platform X.
“I am saddened for Tyre Nichols’ family. They deserve justice. Unfortunately, this is typical of DA Mulroy,” wrote Taylor. “He can’t get a conviction, and it’s everyone else’s fault.”
I am saddened for Tyre Nichols’ family. They deserve justice. Unfortunately, this is typical of DA Mulroy. He can’t get a conviction, and it’s everyone else’s fault.
— Senator Brent Taylor (@SenBrentTaylor) May 7, 2025
For his part, Mulroy has argued to NewsChannel 3 that his office “did a hell of a job” prosecuting he case, and blamed the lack of a conviction on the inherent unpredictability of juries.
“While this is not the outcome we hoped for, our commitment to justice and to the people of Shelby County remains unwavering,” said Mulroy in a statement posted to social media. “We remain committed to transparency, justice, and the work of building public trust. Our office will continue to pursue accountability wherever the facts and the law lead us.”
The high profile acquittal under Mulroy’s watch comes after Taylor pledged to lead an effort to remove the district attorney, outlining nine causes for removal before filing a resolution with the Tennessee General Assembly.
During the recently concluded legislative session, Taylor sponsored another resolution calling for the Tennessee Supreme Court to investigate Mulroy, with the additions of District Attorneys Glenn Funk, who serves Davidson County, and Chris Stanford, who serves Warren and Van Buren counties.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Image “State Sen Brent Taylor” by State Sen Brent Taylor.
