The Greater Sacramento NAACP held a press conference at City Hall on Friday afternoon, ahead of the national public release of the body camera footage showing the traffic stop in Memphis that led to the death of 29-year-old Tire Nichols, who was raised in Sacramento. Five Memphis police officers were charged Thursday in connection with Nichols’ killing. They each face charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.The Nichols family and their attorneys got the chance to review the police body camera footage Monday ahead of the public release.Lawyers for Tire Nichols’ family have compared the body camera video to the infamous 1991 Los Angeles Police beating of Rodney King. The footage of Nichols’ arrest and beating was released on Friday. At a vigil in Memphis, loved ones urged communities across the country to remain peaceful, despite the contents of the video. Sacramento NAACP President Betty Williams, Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Stevante Clark, whose brother was killed by Sacramento police officers in 2018, all spoke at Friday’s press conference, among others. The Nichols family was present at the press conference but did not take any questions. “Why are we continuing to be killed by law enforcement?” asked Williams. Williams said that advocacy and policy change is needed and that police need to be held accountable. She also said that a standard needs to be set moving forward based on how the district attorney representing Memphis handled the five officers in the aftermath of Nichols’ death, citing that the officers were charged with murder shortly after.”We all should be furious that public servants trusted to protect life in the community would treat a fellow human so cruelly,” Steinberg said. Watch the full press conference in the video player below.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
The Greater Sacramento NAACP held a press conference at City Hall on Friday afternoon, ahead of the national public release of the body camera footage showing the traffic stop in Memphis that led to the death of 29-year-old Tire Nichols, who was raised in Sacramento.
Five Memphis police officers were charged Thursday in connection with Nichols’ killing. They each face charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
The Nichols family and their attorneys got the chance to review the police body camera footage Monday ahead of the public release.
Lawyers for Tire Nichols’ family have compared the body camera video to the infamous 1991 Los Angeles Police beating of Rodney King.
The footage of Nichols’ arrest and beating was released on Friday. At a vigil in Memphis, loved ones urged communities across the country to remain peaceful, despite the contents of the video.
Sacramento NAACP President Betty Williams, Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Stevante Clark, whose brother was killed by Sacramento police officers in 2018, all spoke at Friday’s press conference, among others. The Nichols family was present at the press conference but did not take any questions.
“Why are we continuing to be killed by law enforcement?” asked Williams.
Williams said that advocacy and policy change is needed and that police need to be held accountable.
She also said that a standard needs to be set moving forward based on how the district attorney representing Memphis handled the five officers in the aftermath of Nichols’ death, citing that the officers were charged with murder shortly after.
“We all should be furious that public servants trusted to protect life in the community would treat a fellow human so cruelly,” Steinberg said.
Watch the full press conference in the video player below.
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