MEMPHIS — Memphis Police Department Lt. Larnce Wright said Thursday that three former officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, did not follow department policy when they beat him in January 2023 — testimony that contradicted the argument presented by defense attorneys earlier in the week.
Nichols died three days after being beaten by Memphis police officers following a traffic stop. Two of the officers involved, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., have already pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the incident. The trial for three others who face federal conspiracy and civil rights charges — Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith and Demetrius Haley — began this week.
In the courtroom, prosecutor Kathryn Gilbert played body camera footage from the night of Jan. 7, 2023, which showed officers beating Nichols. She paused the video and asked Wright if the use of force displayed in the footage was consistent with Memphis police training.
“No,…