Former Police Officer Pleading Guilty in Tyre Nichols’ Brutal Beating Death Admits to Repeatedly Striking Victim with Baton

The former Memphis Police officer who took a plea deal in the brutal beating death of Tyre Nichols admitted to repeatedly striking the 27-year-old black man, among other criminal conduct, according to court records.

Desmond Mills Jr, 33, one of five former officers charged in the January homicide, on Thursday pleaded guilty to two felony counts against him — offering his full cooperation with prosecutors in exchange for a recommendation that he serve no more than 15 years in federal prison.

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Former Memphis Police Officer Charged in Tyre Nichols’ Murder Pleads Guilty to Two of Four Counts in Federal Plea Deal

Desmond Mills Jr., one of five former Memphis police officers charged in the January beating death of Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop, has pleaded guilty to two of four criminal charges in the nationally watched federal civil rights case, and several charges in a state case.

Mills appeared Thursday morning before Judge Mark Norris in the Western District of Tennessee.

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Rumors Growing on Gang Involvement of Former Memphis Officers Charged in Tyre Nichols’ Death

A long-time Memphis law enforcement source tells The Tennessee Star rumors about guards at the Shelby County Division of Corrections being involved in street gangs have been circulating for years, although he knows of no correction officer implicated such a crime. 

“There have always been rumors about that, but they’ve never been substantiated that I know of,”  the official with knowledge of the Shelby County criminal justice system told The Star. “The joke in Memphis criminal justice has long been the jailers are one step ahead of being in jail themselves.”

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Memphis Police Must Continue to Live in City, Per City Council

Memphis Police officers will be required to live in the city, whether they like it or not.

Memphis City Council members approved an ordinance this month that removed the question of residency from the November 2020 ballot.

Specifically, the approved ordinance rescinds Referendum Ordinance No. 5744, which might have allowed specified personnel employed within the Divisions of Police and Fire Services to reside 50 miles outside of the City of Memphis.

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