MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A status conference will be held Friday after the sentencing for former Memphis police officers in the death of Tyre Nichols was canceled.
This comes after Judge Mark Norris recused himself from the case on Friday.
Monday was supposed to kick off several sentencing hearings for Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith, and Demetrius Haley in the 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols.
But the court was quiet, people still trying to determine what’s next after Judge Mark Norris recused himself from the case.
The judge didn’t give a reason why he decided to remove himself after the high-profile trial he presided over for almost a month back in the fall, and why he made his surprising decision just three days before the first of the former officers was to be sentenced.
What WREG does know is that Judge Sheryl Lipman is listed as the new judge to take over the case.
It will likely take a while for her to get up to speed on the particulars of the case and the weeks of testimony.
Several sealed motions have also been filed regarding the proceedings, and those motions must be heard.
On Monday, the court put a notice saying a status conference is now set for Friday before Judge Lipman.
The court also said the sentencing hearings set to take place Monday through Wednesday of this week are cancelled.
Former officers, Desmond Mills and Emmitt Martin, had already received a delay in their sentencing. Mills’ sentencing was scheduled for June 23, and Martin got a short delay in state court after his attorney cited mental considerations.
But a change in Federal judges affects what happens with their case, too.
Martin and Mills also still have to be sentenced on the State side after they pleaded guilty.
Bean, Smith, and Haley were all acquitted in State court.
“This is a very rare occurrence. We, of course, will follow the instructions of the Court and new Judge,” said Tadarrius Bean’s attorney John Keith Perry.
He cited Rule 25 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, designed to make sure trials and proceedings can continue even if the original judge can’t fulfill their duties.
The Rule says if a Judge who presided over a trial is unable to perform post-trial duties, like sentencing, any other judge regularly sitting in or assigned to the court may complete those duties.
The status conference on Friday will give WREG a better idea of the new date for sentencing. We will keep you updated.