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'SCORPION' Unit deactivated in wake of Tyre Nichols' death


Protesters march down the street Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn., as authorities release police video depicting five Memphis officers beating Tyre Nichols, whose death resulted in murder charges and provoked outrage at the country's latest instance of police brutality. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Protesters march down the street Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn., as authorities release police video depicting five Memphis officers beating Tyre Nichols, whose death resulted in murder charges and provoked outrage at the country's latest instance of police brutality. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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The Memphis Police Department hasdeactivated its "SCORPION" Unit in the wake of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols' death.

The news wasannounced on Saturday, the day after police released body camera footage and surveillance video of five Black officers beating him after a traffic stop in Tennessee.

SCORPION is an acronym for "Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods."

In the process of listening to the family of Tyre Nichols, community leaders, and the uninvolved officers who have done quality work in the assignments, it is in the best interest of all permanently deactivate the SCORPION Unit," the department noted in a news release. "The officers currently assigned to the unit agree unreservedly with this next step. While the heinous actions of a few casts a cloud of dishonor on the title SCORPION, it is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department, take proactive steps in the healing process for all impacted."

Nichols, who is also Black, died days after a confrontation with officers during a traffic stop on January 7.

The five officers have been fired from their positions and werecharged with second-degree murder and face up to 60 years in prison if convicted.

They were also charged with aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated kidnapping in possession of a deadly weapon, official misconduct, official misconduct-refrain, and official oppression.

They include the following men:

  • Tadarrius Bean
  • Demetrius Haley
  • Desmond Mills, Jr.
  • Emmitt Martin, III
  • Justin Smith

The graphic footage shows Nichols being screamed at, held down, and struck by officers.

At one point, Nichols screamed repeatedly for his mother.

Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, and his stepfather, Rodney Wells, addressed the public during a news conference on Friday alongside civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

RowVaughn said her son loved photography and skateboarding. She described him as being an individual and his own person.

"My son was a beautiful soul," she said. "No one's perfect but he was damn near it."

Crump vowed to get justice.

They will be held accountable," he said, also noting that it doesn't make a difference that the officers are Black. "It is the culture that made them think they could do this -- and we have to call out this culture every time we get a chance."

Protests erupted throughout the nation after authorities released the footage.

The department said it "remains committed to serving our community and taking every measure possible to rebuild the trust that has negatively affected by the death of Mr. Tyre Nichols."

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden released the following statement:

Like so many, I was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols’ death. It is yet another painful reminder of the profound fear and trauma, the pain, and the exhaustion that Black and Brown Americans experience every single day.
My heart goes out to Tyre Nichols’ family and to Americans in Memphis and across the country who are grieving this tremendously painful loss. The footage that was released this evening will leave people justifiably outraged. Those who seek justice should not resort to violence or destruction. Violence is never acceptable; it is illegal and destructive. I join Mr. Nichols’ family in calling for peaceful protest.
I spoke with RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, Mr. Nichols’ mother and stepfather, this afternoon. There are no words to describe the heartbreak and grief of losing a beloved child and young father. Nothing can bring Mr. Nichols back to his family and the Memphis community. But Mr. and Mrs. Wells, Mr. Nichols’ son, and his whole family deserve a swift, full, and transparent investigation.
We must do everything in our power to ensure our criminal justice system lives up to the promise of fair and impartial justice, equal treatment, and dignity for all. Real and lasting change will only come if we take action to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again. That is why I called on Congress to send the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to my desk. When Senate Republicans blocked that bill, I signed an executive order that mandated stricter use of force standards and accountability provisions for federal law enforcement, as well as measures to strengthen accountability at the state and local level.
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