Federal Judge Orders New Trial for Three Ex-Memphis Officers in Tyre Nichols Case
Federal Judge Orders New Trial for Three Ex-Memphis Officers in Tyre Nichols Case
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A federal judge has ordered a new trial for three former Memphis police officers previously convicted in connection with the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman issued the order this week for Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, who were found guilty in October 2024 of federal obstruction of justice charges.
The decision comes after defense lawyers successfully argued that the previous presiding judge, Mark S. Norris, was biased. Judge Norris allegedly held a belief that at least one of the former officers was involved in a gang, a claim that defense attorneys stated lacked any evidence in the federal discovery process or trial.
Judge Lipman’s order cited a notice from the U.S. Attorney’s Office detailing Norris’s theory, which reportedly emerged after his law clerk was shot in a car theft incident. Norris indicated he believed a gang, potentially involving one of the former officers, was responsible for the shooting, and expressed frustration with the police investigation, even suggesting the department was ‘infiltrated to the top with gang members.’
This ruling marks a significant development in a case that drew national attention following the release of videos showing officers violently assaulting Nichols during a January 2023 traffic stop. Bean, Haley, and Smith were acquitted of state murder charges in May [2025] before this federal retrial order. Two other officers, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty to federal charges prior to the original trial and avoided state charges through plea agreements.
A date for the retrial has not yet been set, with Judge Lipman instructing lawyers to submit positions on the specific charges to be retried. Attorneys for the former officers have praised the decision, while Memphis police have declined to comment.
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