In the ongoing federal trial involving former Memphis police officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, testimony continued with a defense witness, Bryant McKinney, a former police academy classmate of Bean.
McKinney described Bean as a kind-hearted and humble officer who adhered to protocol, stating that Bean always performed his duties by the book.
Bean, Haley, and Smith face charges of excessive force, failure to intervene, and obstruction of justice in the fatal January 2023 beating of Tyre Nichols.
Prosecutors have already presented testimony, including from two other former officers, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., who pleaded guilty to civil rights violations.
McKinney, a former Memphis patrol officer who now works in corporate security, emphasized Bean’s character and professional conduct.
When questioned by the prosecution, McKinney hesitated to pass judgment, even when confronted with hypothetical scenarios aligning with footage of the beating, which showed Bean allegedly holding Nichols’ hands as another officer struck him.
Another defense witness, Garrett O’Brien, testified about permissible defensive tactics, including non-lethal head strikes, further emphasizing the challenges officers face in chaotic situations.
Despite defense arguments portraying Bean’s actions as minimal and procedural, the case remains under intense scrutiny, especially with video evidence showing the officers’ apparent indifference to Nichols’ deteriorating condition following the assault.
The five officers are also facing second-degree murder charges in a separate state case.
The trial continues as the defense seeks to counter weeks of testimony from the prosecution.