Memphis police are set to release the body cam videos from the beating death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of police officers on Friday.
The department is warning all of us, that the video is heinous.
Five police officers have been charged with murder.
Once the video is released, and the public sees it--officials are expecting mass protests on the streets of Memphis and maybe elsewhere in America.
The case of Tyre Nichols and George Floyd and many others at the hands of police had us thinking about a local case involving Byron Williams. He died in downtown Las Vegas in 2019.
It was in the early morning hours of September 5th, 2019, LVMPD officers tried to stop Byron Williams because he didn't have a light on his bicycle.
He rode away and then took off running. Police captured him and put him face down, with handcuffs behind his back.
Williams said, "I can't breathe" 24 times and then went limp.
He was taken to the hospital and was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
They haven't been held accountable. In fact, some of the officers refused to give statements to investigators.
At the scene, the officers turned off their body cameras for seven minutes.
The family has retained civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. He also represented the family of George Floyd.
Crump is also representing the family of Nichols.
During a news conference hours ago, Crump mentioned the case of Byron Williams here in Las Vegas.
The Clark County Coroner ruled William's death a homicide, as a result of meth intoxication, with other factors contributing to his death, including prone restraint.
LVMPD has since changed its policies: saying officers will not restrain subjects who are under control in a manner that compromises their ability to breathe. They must now keep their body cameras operating until they clear the scene.
The officers involved in this case have been disciplined, but LVMPD hasn't released more details.
All of the men have been re-instated as patrol officers.
The Williams case isn't the only one in LVMPD's jurisdiction.
In May 2017, Tashi Farmer Brown ran from LVMPD officers, through the Venetian and out the back near the parking garage.
He had been diagnosed with manic depression and may have been having an episode.
Officers caught him, tased him seven times, punched him in the face, and put him in an unapproved chokehold for more than a minute.
Farmer Brown went unconscious and died less than an hour later.
The coroner said he died of an enlarged heart and asphyxiation.
LVMPD recommended a charge of manslaughter against officer Kenneth Lopera, but the Clark County grand jury failed to indict and no charges were ever brought.
LVMPD doesn't believe Farmer Brown broke any laws.
Despite no criminal charges, the family of Farmer Brown received $3.7 million from LVMPD in two settlements.
We called the Clark County District Attorney and LVMPD for comment on both of these cases, but we've yet to hear back.
Following the release of the videos Friday afternoon, the NAACP Las Vegas and ACLU of Nevada issued statements.
ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah said:
The vicious murder of Tyre Nichols is yet another example of an out of control policing system that continues to go largely unchecked. This is a national problem and if you think Nevada is immune from these issues, have a conversation with the mothers of Jorge Gomez or Isaiah Williams. Without bodycam footage, Tyre’s story wouldn’t have been told and another Black man beaten to death by the police would have simply had his character denigrated to justify horrific abuse. If there are protests here in Nevada, I would urge law enforcement to avoid the hyper-reactive policing approach it adopted two years ago, when peaceful protestors and legal observers were attacked and arrested by law enforcement for simply exercising their right to peacefully assemble and protest. Actions to undermine the First Amendment by the government will be met with an appropriate response in court.
NAACP Las Vegas Branch President Quentin Savwoir said:
The work to advance and expand civil rights persists no matter who the perpetrator is. The death of Tyre Nichols shows us that the problem of policing is foundational in the culture of policing in America. There is a quiet consensus to terminate the lives of Black and Brown men, one that we should all be concerned with. I hope the officers involved in this egregious act are held accountable, but true justice here means taking action and making changes. Changes that beget greater transparency, accountability and justice for families that are mistreated by those entrusted to safeguard our communities.