Tyre Nichols

US President Joe Biden called for any protests to be peaceful following the charges on Thursday. | ITV National News.

She warned supporters of the “horrific” nature of the video set to be released on Friday, but she pleaded for the public to “protest in peace.” A video of the traffic stop is due to be released on Friday, sparking fears that there could be civil unrest. There are fears of unrest in the US after five police officers have been charged with murder following the death of a 29-year-old FedEx worker.

Five Memphis police officers face second-degree murder charges in the death of Tyre Nichols, the economy shows 4th quarter growth: 5 Things podcast.

We're here seven mornings a week right here, wherever you're listening right now. What's the new booster timeline? So how should we think about COVID vaccines going forward, as the virus lingers? She launched The Queer Athlete Podcast to try and hear some more of these stories. That is prohibited. Well, specifically, it prohibits any same sex romantic behavior, which would be holding hands; kissing; things that might strike people as pretty benign. For more, I'm now joined by USA TODAY Sports Reporter Josh Peter. The National Archives yesterday asked former presidents and vice presidents to look for any sensitive and potentially top secret material they might have. Plus, the economy finished strong last year, and we look at the challenges for queer student athletes at BYU. Taylor Wilson: There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Former Memphis police officers have been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Tyre Nichols.

Five police officers have been charged with the murder of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols.

The plaintiff, Cordarlrius Sledge, said he was an inmate in 2015 when Haley and another corrections officer accused him of flushing contraband. He was named as a defendant in a 2016 federal civil rights lawsuit while employed by the Shelby County Division of Corrections. He was described by his family as a “good kid” who loved skateboarding and photography.

Five cops have been charged with second-degree murder for the killing of Tyre Nicholds in Memphis. The officials pulled him over at a traffic stop on 7 ...

Tyre’s death is a painful reminder that we must do more to ensure that our criminal justice system lives up to the promise of fair and impartial justice, equal treatment, and dignity for all.” Now, documents have also been recovered from his decades-long career in the Senate The revelations in the Joe Biden classified documents saga](https://www.firstpost.com/world/timeline-the-revelations-in-the-joe-biden-classified-documents-saga-12036942.html) “His mother couldn’t get through the first minute of it,” Ben Crump added in the news conference. Three days later, on 10 January, it was announced that Nichols had died due to injuries sustained in the “use-of-force incident with the officers”. Twenty-nine year old Tyre Nichols was a resident of Memphis in the state of Tennessee. Memphis police chief Cerelyn Davis reacting to the incident said, This is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual … Violence is destructive and against the law. On 15 January, the Memphis Police Department announced that an internal administrative investigation was underway. He would visit the same Starbucks most mornings and often went to Shelby Farms, a sprawling public park just outside Memphis to skate or indulge in photography. Five cops have been charged with second-degree murder for the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis. The Black man died three days later, prompting anguish and questions about the police force

Video of the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, who died three days after a traffic stop by police, is set to be released by Memphis officials Friday evening.

"Like so many, I was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols’ death," Biden said. After the videos were released, Biden said in a statement that he was outraged. While he’s down, one officer kicks Nichols in the head and then another beats him with a baton, the video shows. He can be seen in the video rolling around on the street as officers talked nearby. “I expect you to feel what the Nichols family feels,” she said. He is able to get up and runs, with an officer firing a Taser at him, the video shows. Details about what occurred between Nichols and the officers have been sparse; police initially said Nichols ran during the reckless driving stop and that a "confrontation" occurred in an effort to detain him. In some of the videos, the license plates of vehicles parked in the area are blurred, but the faces of the people involved in the encounter are not. On Friday night, after the videos were released, two Shelby County sheriff's deputies who appeared on the scene were relieved of duty pending the outcome of an investigation. The videos depicted Nichols being punched, struck with a baton, kicked in the face, and sprayed with an irritant. A video of the initial traffic stop shows a chaotic scene as officers yank Nichols from the car, shout commands over each other, and at times threaten him. When the camera view pans over, the video shows Nichols on the ground.

Mr Nichols died days after he was stopped by police on 7 January. Five now-fired police officers - who like Mr Nichols are all black - are facing murder charges ...

"He will never come in and say 'Hello parents', because that's what he would do. He will not walk through that door again," she said. You've got a full-time job now," he remembered saying.

Video footage of a traffic stop that led to the deadly beating of a 29-year-old Black man shows "acts that defy humanity," the Memphis chief told CNN's Don ...

“I am also angry for the many good men and women of the Memphis Police Department who devote their lives to serving our citizens. “This is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual.” “I am sad and angry for the family of Tyre Nichols,” he added. “Tyre’s loved ones’ lives were forever changed when he was beaten to death, and we will keep saying his name until justice is served.” The footage will “remind you of Rodney King in many regards,” Nichols family attorney Ben Crump said. “I don’t want us burning up our cities, tearing up the streets, because that’s not what my son stood for,” she said. Nichols’ family and their attorneys have described the arrest as a prolonged, brutal attack after being shown footage by authorities Monday. “We’ve been unable to substantiate that at this time,” Davis told Don Lemon. “I would say it’s about the same, if not worse.” After a brief pursuit, responding officers captured Nichols, who required hospitalization after the arrest and died on January 10. “I heard him call out for his mother, for his mom,” Davis said, referred to the video. “Just the disregard for humanity …

CJ Davis says department will release 'alarming' video of officers, now charged with murder, beating black man who died three days later.

This was a crime.” I’ve seen the video myself and I will tell you I was appalled,” Wray said on Friday morning. And the humanity of it. “It is not,” she said. I would say it’s about the same if not worse,” Davis said in a live interview on Friday morning. “I’m struggling to find a stronger word but I will just tell you I was appalled.” They brought shame to the Black community. This was wrong. Where was the humanity? “They have brought shame to their own families. Davis said there appeared to be no legitimate reason for the traffic stop, and that she did not see any of the five officers intervene to stop excessive force by their fellow officers, saying they appeared to be in a state of “groupthink” as they confronted Nichols and became violent. The chief of the Memphis police warned on Friday that the video of officers beating

His death and the news that he was tortured by policemen have reignited debate about police brutality. As authorities prepare to release the footage, tensions ...

We don’t do this with white victims of violence. He didn’t deserve to be tragically taken from his family and community! [January 27, 2023] Officials have said the video will be released soon. US authorities have charged five officers with second-degree murder over the incident. We look at how people are reacting to the whole episode online.

It's been almost three weeks since a traffic stop in Memphis led to a violent arrest and, three days later, the death of the 29-year-old Black driver.

And when you see the video, you will see why he was scared for his life.” Portions of the audio are inaudible, but you can hear a brief part of the conversation between an officer and the dispatcher. This is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual,” Chief Cerelyn Davis said in a YouTube video Wednesday, her first on-camera comments about the arrest that preceded Nichols’ death. “This incident was heinous, reckless, and inhumane, and in the vein of transparency, when the video is released in the coming days, you will see this for yourselves.” He ran because he was scared for his life. “Nobody’s perfect OK, but he was damn near.” Five Memphis Police Department officers, who also are Black, were fired after an internal investigation and are [facing criminal charges](http://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/tyre-nichols-memphis-news-1-26-23/index.html), including second-degree murder charges. “There was another altercation at a nearby location at which the serious injuries were experienced by Mr. Officers apprehended him and “another confrontation occurred,” resulting in Nichols’ arrest, police said. Pepper spray was deployed and Nichols ran, he said. Martin III, Smith, Bean, Haley and Mills, Jr. Officials have also not released Nichols’ autopsy.

After five Memphis police officers were charged Thursday in the death of Tyre Nichols, authorities say video footage of the encounter will be released to ...

And an officer walked over to him and said, ‘sit back up mother – mf,’ you know, while he's handcuffed. "They walked around, smoking cigarettes like it was all calm.” "They have this little like stick, this metal thing that they pull out," Wells told CNN's Don Lemon.

Five former Memphis police officers were charged with second-degree murder in the Tyre Nichols case. The RNC will hold its secret-ballot election.

Nichols "complained of a shortness of breath,” police said. “Violence is destructive and against the law. The five officers charged in the case are also Black. Prosecutors have charged 42-year-old David DePape in connection with the attack.] [DePape ] [pleaded not guilty last month to six charges](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/12/28/paul-pelosi-home-attack-suspect-not-guilty-plea/10961778002/), including attempted murder. Murphy ruled there was no reason to keep the footage secret, especially after prosecutors played it in open court during a preliminary hearing last month.] [Paul Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi's husband, was asleep at the couple's San Francisco home on Oct. Police have said DePape told them there was "evil in Washington" and he wanted to harm Nancy Pelosi because she was second in line to the presidency. 7 after a police traffic stop that resulted in “two confrontations with police,” according to Memphis police. [Paul Pelosi attack video set to be released at noon today] [The San Francisco Superior Court is planning on releasing the video of Paul Pelosi's attack following a judge's order on Wednesday.] [Over the objections of prosecutors, a judge ruled that the footage of the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband can be released. Harris also wanted to know how the White House can assist young Black men with overcoming stigmas. The move could substantially hurt Republicans ahead of a heated election. The Democratic majority [approved moving the primary](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/27/michigan-senate-oks-earlier-presidential-primary-gop/11132668002/)to late February.

Memphis officials said they would release footage after they showed it to Nichols' family and attorney.

Memphis police chief Cerelyn Davis said earlier this week that the group of officers in the video—Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. I don’t want us burning up our cities, tearing up the streets, because that’s not what my son stood for,” Ms Wells “Like so many, I was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols’ death,” the president said in a statement. “Simply put, this shouldn’t have happened.” “He was sitting there, and then he slumped over. And an officer walked over to him and said, ‘Sit back up motherf******,’ while he’s handcuffed.” [compared](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/memphis-tyre-nichols-cops-kill-man-rodney-king-b2268816.html/) to the [infamous beating of Rodney King](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/la-riots-1992-cause-explained-history-rodney-king-racism-police-a9496876.html) at the hands of Los Angeles police. She added: “I’m going to pray for you and your families because at the end of the day, this shouldn’t have happened. “Real and lasting change will only come if we take action to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again.” This just shouldn’t have happened. [said](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/tyre-nichols-body-cam-video-memphis-fired-b2270525.html) he was “sickened” by the conduct he saw in the video of the police stop, which did “not at all reflect proper policing.” [said](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/tyre-nichols-body-cam-video-memphis-fired-b2270525.html) earlier on Friday: “I want to say to the five police officers that murdered my son, you also disgraced your own families when you did this.”

Tyre Nichols succumbed to injuries he sustained from his encounter with police and died while hospitalized on Jan. 10, three days after he was pulled over ...

William Massey and Blake Ballin, lawyers for Martin and Mills, respectively, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the videos. Police have described the circumstances of Nichols’ arrest in vague terms. Nichols, the father of a 4-year-old, has been described by friends and family as an affable, accomplished skateboarder who recently enrolled in a photography class. Protesters rallied in several cities following the video’s release, including New York, Atlanta and Washington, but the demonstrations appeared peaceful. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday announced a federal civil rights investigation into Nichols’ death, while law enforcement agencies in some major cities said they were preparing for possible unrest. The officers, all Black, had already been dismissed from the police department on Jan. The first video shows officers dragging Nichols from the driver’s seat of his car as he yells, “Damn, I didn’t do anything… Schools closed early, and Saturday morning events were canceled. Other footage shows a subsequent struggle after officers catch up with Nichols again. Mom!” as he struggles with officers. Nichols is heard repeatedly screaming, “Mom! [Tyre Nichols](http://globalnews.ca/tag/Tyre-Nichols), a Black motorist stopped by [Memphis police](https://globalnews.ca/tag/memphis-police) earlier this month, is seen pummeled into submission while crying “Mom, mom,” as five police officers later charged with his murder deliver kicks, punches and baton blows in graphic video the city released on Friday.

Lawyers for the 29-year-old's family say the bodycam footage shows Mr Nichols being severely beaten.

He said he had not been shown the video. Video footage of 29-year-old father Tyre Nichols being beaten by police in Memphis is being released later, with the city braced for protests. There will be redactions to anonymise those not employed by the police or the city.

Memphis authorities say they're planning to release body camera footage depicting the 29-year-old's death sometime after 7 p.m. ET. Cities across the U.S. ...

The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. "And we have to call out this culture every time we get a chance." We won't have Black officers treated differently than white officers under the law." "We now have the blueprint, America, and we won't accept less going forward in the future. "Like so many, I was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols' death," Biden said in the statement. Lawyers say the five officers who beat Nichols were part of such a unit. Tatro is a legal reform advocate and senior advisor for strategic outreach with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He says he "didn't do anything" and that he is trying to go home. The encounter grows increasingly volatile as officers swear and threaten Nichols. President Joe Biden issued a statement as the footage was released on Friday, calling it "horrific." At times, he is screaming, and appears to call out "Mom." State and federal authorities are also investigating the officers.

Memphis police chief says the video, which shows police beating a Black motorist, depicts 'acts that defy humanity'.

After Nichols was pulled over by police, “an altercation” ensued in which officers doused him with pepper spray, and Nichols tried to flee on foot, local District Attorney Steve Mulroy said when announcing the charges against the ex-officers. My son was supposed to be with me today,” she said. Nichols calmly replied soon after being wrestled to the pavement, “OK, I’m on the ground”. His neck was busting because of the swelling. He called for charges to be brought as quickly in other cases of police violence involving white officers. “This was not supposed to happen. “Now we are waiting for the reaction, once people can digest this video … A separate video shows a subsequent struggle after officers catch up with Nichols again and are beating him. One video clip shows officers dragging Nichols from the driver’s seat of his car as he yells, “Damn, I didn’t do anything … His head was swollen like a watermelon. Haley remained in jail on a $350,000 bond. Tase him!”

Mr Nichols died days after he was stopped by police on 7 January. Five now-fired police officers - who like Mr Nichols are all black - are facing murder charges ...

He will not walk through that door again," she said. "He will never come in and say 'Hello parents', because that's what he would do. They also worked together at FedEx, where Mr Nichols had worked for the past nine months. You've got a full-time job now," he remembered saying. Mr Nichols died days after he was stopped by police on 7 January. "You've got to put that skateboard down.

A candlelight vigil was held at the skatepark where the 29-year-old would give lessons to his four-year-old son, his mother said.

His mother said he wanted to go to the park “almost every night” to take pictures of the sunset. “Nobody’s perfect OK, but he was damn near.” “He was trying to get home to safety,” she told CNN on Friday. Nichols called himself an “aspiring photographer” with a particular fondness for landscapes, and posted many of his images He would come home every evening, mid-shift, for his meal break, RowVaughn Wells said. He leaves a four-year-old boy whom he loved to teach skateboarding.

Sometimes body camera footage is made public within hours; other times it takes months. Memphis officials chose a time when businesses would be closed and ...

[died in March 2020 while being detained](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/16/nyregion/daniel-prude-rochester-police.html) by the police in Rochester, N.Y., police commanders [intentionally delayed](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/15/nyregion/rochester-police-daniel-prude.html) releasing body camera footage of the encounter for months. That same month, when Daunte Wright was fatally shot by a police officer at a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minn., the authorities showed graphic body camera footage to reporters [the next day](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/12/us/brooklyn-center-police-shooting-minnesota.html). Prude’s family](https://apnews.com/article/homicide-rochester-lawsuits-lake-ontario-daniel-prude-99f42ed3c0c36c2cf3c47ee41c66b400) who made the footage public in September 2020. Sometimes the video has been made public swiftly to emphasize transparency. The five officers involved in the encounter were fired last week and were arrested Thursday on second-degree murder and other charges. “Friday at 6 p.m., very, very few people will be at work,” said Frank Colvett Jr., a councilman from the city’s east side. “They anticipate people will be shocked and horrified by what they see,” Professor Lawlor said. It is being released with limited redactions, the officials said. [take much longer](https://apnews.com/article/ny-state-wire-shootings-516ad617e6cf44c07508808d8f65b26f), and in some cases, police departments have withheld video footage out of fear over the public’s reaction to seeing it. Some Memphis city council members who were not involved in deciding when to release the video said they supported the plan to wait until after schools and many businesses in the city had closed for the night. Nichols was hospitalized on Jan. Central time on Friday to release video of the police encounter that resulted in Tyre Nichols’s death.

RowVaughn Wells gives interview after five Memphis police officers were charged with murder in the beating death of her son.

“I just feel like my son was sent here on assignment from God, and his assignment is over and he was sent back home. When this is all over, it’s gonna be so good, so positive because my son was a good and positive person. Because that’s what they did, they beat my son to death. My son weighed a buck fifty [150lb], he was 6ft 3in,” Wells said. “Those are the charges that I feel will stick, so I’m happy with the charges that the district attorney has set forth. “I don’t have my baby. “The humanity of it all. “They have brought shame to their own families. Where was the humanity? They brought shame to the Black community. His neck was busting because of the swelling. “People don’t know what those five police officers did to our family.

Local officials have cancelled events and declared emergency status ahead of the release of police video of the fatal beating.

Police departments across the US drew [extensive scrutiny](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/06/police-violence-protests-us-george-floyd) over their handling of often peaceful protesters. Washington DC police officials also said they are preparing for demonstrations. Kemp’s declaration comes in the wake of protests in Atlanta on 21 January over the death of activist “I join Tyre’s family in calling for peaceful protest,” President Joe Biden said Thursday. If you guys are here for me and Tyre, then you will protest peacefully.” “But I want each and every one of you to protest in peace.

Growing up in Sacramento, Nichols spent much of his time at a skate park on the outskirts of the city. There, he met a youth pastor and his wife from a ...

As Memphis braces for video footage and protests, pastor and police reform advocate Earle Fisher says he's "seen far too much Black death as a spectacle.

And there are so many people who are in positions of leadership that seem resistant to that change. And so there are things that I do find hope in, but I'm not sure that my hope is built in a system and a structure that needs so much substantial reform and change. ... Through some of the political organizing and voter advocacy work of groups like the But at the same time, I understand the need for people wanting to be at the forefront of, you know, breaking news and the story ... [Scorpion unit](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/memphis-police-scorpion-unit-tyre-nichols-rcna67711)" — which is the specialized unit that all of these officers were involved in — in the fall of 2021. And again, not just insofar as things are here on the ground in Memphis, but as people are bracing themselves for protests all around the country. As was the case with George Floyd, I think, that ultimately helped us advance some of the conversation and some of the initiatives — even though we still haven't passed the So I'd like to see people press the mayor and the police chief a little bit more on how things got to this level. And when it's been Black people, it doesn't matter whether the officers are white or Black, we are still prone to disproportionate and egregious brutality. "And I know I've seen far too much Black death as a spectacle, and I'm not excited about trying to view another video of a Black man being killed by law enforcement." Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy has said "they are all responsible" for the death of the 29-year-old. We had a meeting with [the district attorney.] And I think collectively we felt like that was a better sequence of events.

Social media posts show that Mr. Nichols harbored a mistrust of prevailing government and economic systems, yet, a friend says, he also considered trying to ...

Nichols wrote that he had seen “a lot more cops” who had decided to “kneel with all the protesters” and walk alongside them “with no batons and forceful weapons.” He had a son with a woman he was in a relationship with for awhile. On the Saturday night when he was beaten, his mother had planned to cook him sesame chicken, a favorite. “But my son, he actually was a good boy,” she said. “He felt the presence of the creator out in Memphis more than he ever had,” Ms. He wrote passionately about the plight of Indigenous people and the resilience of African Americans in the face of centuries of oppression. His move to Memphis in 2020 roughly coincided with the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and its lockdowns. He had fled from the officers on foot, and had apparently been running toward the home of his mother and stepfather, where he had been living. He had been living with his father in Sacramento, but the father was terminally ill, and would die before Mr. “He was going through a lot,” Ms. “He was two minutes from the house when they murdered him.” His social media posts show that he identified with the Black Lives Matter movement and harbored a mistrust of prevailing government and economic systems.

Prosecutors say the video shows heinous acts of police brutality that directly led to Nichols' death.

Criminal justice reform activists say Nichols’ death is just the latest example of police brutality against Black men due to a system that is inherently racist. An attorney for Nichols’ family has asked for the unit to be abolished, and Davis ordered a review of the group after Nichols’ death. The unit was created in 2021 with a goal of targeted deployment focused on violent crimes. [ were charged with second-degree murder](https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywashburn/2023/01/26/tyre-nichols-killing-5-memphis-police-officers-charged-with-murder/?sh=53fcaf9e22b5) Thursday, along with several other counts, including aggravated kidnapping and official misconduct through the exercise of power. They have not entered pleas yet, but attorneys for Martin and Mills have both [said](https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/local/tyre-nichols-death-two-officers-involved-confrontation-will-turn-themselves-sources-say/AB76CG36CRGR7OWTFWG7QZ7YYU/) they intend to plead not guilty. Five officers allegedly involved in the arrest

In the videos released by the City of Memphis, officers are shown aggressively dragging Nichols from his car. Later, officers are seen beating and kicking ...

The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. "But we need to ensure our community is safe in this process." "Like so many, I was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols' death," Biden said in the statement. "And we have to call out this culture every time we get a chance." "For them to act in such a brutal way is more egregious than I can tell you. We won't have Black officers treated differently than white officers under the law." "We now have the blueprint, America, and we won't accept less going forward in the future. Lawyers say the five officers who beat Nichols were part of such a unit. President Joe Biden issued a statement as the footage was released on Friday, calling it "horrific." State and federal authorities are also investigating the officers. At times, he is screaming, and appears to call out "Mom." The footage was uploaded to Vimeo in four different parts, showing police-issued body-worn camera.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement in response to the Memphis Police Department's body camera footage being released…

Authorities are calling for calm in the face of the anticipated protests following the video's release.

After the video footage was released, Biden said: “Like so many, I was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols’s death. “He was a human piñata for those police officers,” one family attorney, Antonio Romanucci, said to reporters. “Get the fuck out of the car!” one officer shouted several times. Nichols replied “I didn’t do anything” as they shout “get on the fucking ground”. In one video, which is from a police body camera, Nichols can be heard crying out “mom” as he was on the ground with officers surrounding him. This video appears to show eight officers milling about as he languished against the car. They dragged Nichols’ limp body to a police car shortly thereafter and sat him against the side. As Nichols, who appeared cuffed, remained on the ground, one officer kicked him in the head and then did so again. “This is not just a professional failing. This is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual … “While each of the five individuals played a different role in the incident in question, the actions of all of them resulted in the death of One of the officers involved in the stop yelled “Tase him!” Nichols ran from the officers; the fatal beating unfolded when officers later apprehended him.

All five officers involved in Tyre Nichols' death were black. Experts say that's not unusual.

"And it's going to continue creating the same outcome of us vs them." The race of police officers is not the primary issue, she said. "Anyone who dons the uniform is more likely on average to engage in abusive behaviour directed toward a black person." We're not worried about the race of the police officer. On Friday afternoon, the family of Mr Nichols held a press conference. We're worried about the conduct of the police officers." We're talking about a difference in degree," said Khalil Gibran Muhammad a professor of race and public policy at Harvard Kennedy School. "Policing in this country is focused on control, subordination and violence - regardless of the race of the officer," she said. "The mentality of what I saw, it's very difficult to explain," she said, adding that she "can't answer" if the encounter would have ended differently had Mr Nichols been white. "The elected officials, those that work for the city, the county, there's a lot of black leadership." If you look at the video, race has nothing to do with it," she said. All five of the men, now facing murder charges, are black too.