Preston Hemphill was one of the police officers who initially stopped Nichols for an alleged traffic violation prior to his fatal beating
Five Memphis Police Officers have been fired and charged with second-degree murder— following the death of Tyre Nichols who was stopped by police for a traffic incident back on January 7.
Body camera footage released to the public on Friday showed Nichols being beaten by police officers in a second video.
Nichols died in the hospital three days later.
On Monday, a Memphis Police spokesperson announced that a sixth officer has been suspended amid an ongoing investigation into the death of Nichols.
Twenty-six-year-old Preston Hemphill was one of the police officers who initially stopped Nichols for an alleged traffic violation.
He has since been relieved of duty.
A lawyer for Hemphill said the officer is cooperating with the investigation.
In a statement, Hemphill’s attorney said his client was the third officer present on scene at the initial stop of Nichols—but was not at the scene where Nichols was beaten.
The investigation into the deadly beating is ongoing and has prompted renewed calls for police reform.
