Two sheriff’s deputies suspended for involvement in Tyre Nichols incident

Daniel Trotta

(Reuters) – The Shelby County Sheriff on Wednesday suspended two police deputies without pay for five days for unspecified behavior after they showed up at the scene where Memphis city police brutally beat black Tyr Nichols, who died three days later.

Five Memphis police officers were charged with second-degree murder, and they and a sixth police officer were fired for a beating that occurred after a traffic stop on January 7, causing public outcry in the country.

Memphis is in Shelby County, Tennessee, and while city police usually have jurisdiction within the city, county sheriff’s deputies can also respond.

Sheriff Floyd Bonner said in a statement that he had concerns about the two police officers who showed up at the scene and ordered an investigation that resulted in the removals, which he called “appropriate and fair.”

Three firefighters have been fired and other first responders remain under investigation after Nichols was kicked, punched, clubbed, tasered and pepper sprayed after traffic was stopped.

He was then left unattended, handcuffed behind his back, for several minutes while uniformed officers hung around, according to police video footage of the incident.

Among those who arrived at the scene were Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies Jeremy Watkins and Johntavius ​​Bowers, the sheriff’s department said in a statement.

“Based on the Sheriff’s Office’s current belief that there will be no charges from the TBI (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation) and the DA’s investigation/audit, the SCSO deems it appropriate to release the results of the internal investigation at this time.” – said the department.

It does not specify what MPs did or did not do to merit a suspension. But it lists the rules they violated, including radio communication procedures, mobile video recording system procedures, and the duties and responsibilities of patrols in the field.

Reuters was unable to determine whether the deputies were represented by lawyers who could make a statement in their defence. The Association of Shelby County Sheriffs’ Deputies, a union of deputies, could not be reached for comment.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; editing by Robert Birsel)

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