Five now-former Memphis police officers charged in connection with the January murder of Tyre Nichols have plead not guilty, making the argument that it was unfair because it was “just a routine traffic stop.”
“Look at what these men are facing — second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, official oppression, official misconduct…the only difference between my client and thousands of other officers every day is that the word ‘official’ is in there,” stated a lawyer for ex-officer Justin “managed to ruin the last name ‘Smith’” Smith.
The officers were each part of the Memphis Police Department’s SCORPION unit, which was launched in 2021 in response to the city’s rising crime rate.
Attorney Bill Massey, who is representing Emmitt “Shit Stain” Martin III, claims that this created one big misunderstanding. Specifically, the officers missed the memo that they were supposed to decrease the crime rate, not contribute to it or “try to break the record.”
Memphis PD has since disbanded the SCORPION unit, saying that the decision was “in the best interest of all.” By using the word “all,” the police department clearly disregarded the fact that at least five members actually had a really good time with it.
Additionally, given that the SCORPION unit was created to halt criminal activity, one has to wonder what Memphis police officers were doing all day before it existed.
The defense attorney representing another disappointment to their mother, Tadarrius Bean, commented on why he thinks this case in particular is “getting so much guff.”
“If you look at the statistics, of the nearly 1,200 people that were murdered by police last year, 97 percent were carried out with a gun. Here, we see a rare case where someone died as a result of being repeatedly kicked and otherwise beaten — it seems these men were charged with the crime of creativity,” claimed the attorney, whose wife only says “I love you” sarcastically.
Desmond Mills Jr., whose father is presumably in the process of getting his name changed, was said by criminal defense attorney Blake Ballin to have been blinded after the policemen accidentally sprayed themselves with pepper spray. This is unfortunate, as justice could’ve been met right away had the officer been holding a gun instead.
Photo courtesy of Becker1999 via Wikimedia
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