Memphis city attorney says seven more police officers facing discipline for Tyre Nichols beating

Members of the community left stuffed animals, flowers, candles and a skateboard at a makeshift memorial for Tyre Nichols at the site where he was beaten by Memphis police officers.
Members of the community left stuffed animals, flowers, candles and a skateboard at a makeshift memorial for Tyre Nichols at the site where he was beaten by Memphis police officers. (Ariel Cobbert for CNN)

CNN — Seven additional Memphis police officers are facing discipline in the wake of Tyre Nichols’ death, City Attorney Jessica Sink told CNN’s Nick Valencia on Tuesday.

The officers will receive an internal “statement of charges,” a document notifying them of policy violations, which is then followed by a hearing and a written decision, Sink said.

The action is internal and not criminal in nature. Sink said the final round of the statement of charges is coming this week so that the agency can hold administrative hearings next week.

Already, six officers have been fired for their roles in the incident, including five who have been charged criminally with second-degree murder.

The news came during a Memphis city council meeting Tuesday in which members questioned the city’s police and fire chiefs and were set to discuss nearly a dozen public safety proposals and reforms. It was the council’s first public hearing since the city released the video of police beating Nichols.

“The month of January has deeply affected all of us and continues to do so, serving as a clarion call for action,” councilwoman Rhonda Logan said. “Today our focus will be on peeling back the layers of public safety in our city and collaborating on legislation that moves us forward in an impactful and intelligent way.”

The 13-member Memphis City Council met Tuesday, February 7, to discuss potential police reforms.
The 13-member Memphis City Council met Tuesday, February 7, to discuss potential police reforms. (Memphis City Council)

The council’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee was set to take up 11 proposals in all, although they did not get through all of them during the morning session. The proposals included an ordinance to require police to use marked cars during traffic stops; a resolution in support of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act; and an ordinance to establish a procedure for an independent review of police training, according to an online agenda.

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis and Fire Chief Gina Sweat spoke at the hearing and presented their plans for changing their departments going forward. The officials also answered questions from council members frustrated with the responses.