MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tennessee Senator Brent Taylor fired back at Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy after a jury returned “not guilty” verdicts for three former Memphis officers charged in state court for the death of Tyre Nichols.
“I am saddened for Tyre Nichols’ family. They deserve justice,” said Sen. Taylor in a social media post on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, this is typical of DA Mulroy. He can’t get a conviction, and it’s everyone else’s fault.”
The three former officers on trial — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith — had each faced seven charges, including second-degree murder and aggravated assault in the 2023 beating death of Nichols.
An all-white jury out of the Chattanooga area found all three of the defendants “not guilty” on all charges Wednesday, prompting stunned reactions from many local leaders.
D.A. Mulroy spoke with WREG after the verdict came down, noting that his team “did a hell of a job,” but “you just can’t predict what a jury will do.”
The state only presented five witnesses and rested its case in two days; the defense called 17 witnesses to the stand and took four days to rest their case.
Mulroy said the body camera and SkyCop videos speak for themselves, and they were a big part of the state’s case. But he says the state brought witnesses’ testimony, “very effective” cross-examination of the defense’s witnesses, along with “compelling” opening and closing arguments.
He called the evidence against the former officers “overwhelming,” but he said he does not have an explanation for how the jury landed on their verdict.
Sen. Taylor’s remarks followed interviews with Mulroy after the verdict was read and a statement from the D.A.’s office was released, highlighting the state’s disappointment in the outcome.
The statement released by the district attorney’s office is below.
“The verdicts mark a pivotal moment in a case that has deeply impacted our city, state, and nation.
From the beginning, we believed the evidence supported the charges and pursued this case in the interest of justice and accountability. Tyre Nichols should be alive today. His death was a preventable tragedy that devastated his family and deeply affected our entire community.
We respect the jury’s decision and appreciate their service. While this is not the outcome we hoped for, our commitment to justice and to the people of Shelby County remains unwavering. I hope we can learn from this tragedy as Memphis continues to work to improve its policing practices. 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.”
Bean, Haley, and Smith still face sentencing in federal court, though they were acquitted of many charges in the federal case. Two other ex-officers had already pleaded guilty in state and federal court.