CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than 100 people gathered in Uptown Charlotte Saturday to protest after the City of Memphis publicly released a video showing five Memphis police officers beating 29-year-old Tyre Nichols.
He died three days later.
The beating prompted murder charges against the five officers and outrage at the latest instance of police brutality in the U.S.
Nichols' family members and their lawyers, who saw the footage before it was publicly released, said it showed officers "savagely beating" the skateboarder and FedEx worker for three minutes in an assault that the legal team likened to the infamous 1991 police beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King.
The officers involved in the deadly incident were charged Thursday with murder and other crimes in the killing of Nichols, who died three days after the confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop on Jan. 7.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy told reporters at a news conference that although the officers each played different roles in the killing, “they are all responsible.”
In a statement released after the video's release, Mulroy said, "I know the Shelby County community, and the nation, are feeling both the outrage and the deep pain that comes with witnessing these acts of violence. We know the family and community are in mourning. And we recognize and understand the right to public protest, but both we and Tyre’s family ask that any demonstrations in response to the video be peaceful.
The video was released because it was important to the community and to Tyre’s family, as they want the world to be their witness and feel their pain. But as we witness the tragic end of Tyre’s life, I also urge you to remember Tyre Nichols as his family does: with his big smile, skateboarding, and being a loving family member.
The release was delayed because it was important to make sure witnesses spoke first from their memory and nothing else. As D.A., I have always sought to balance out the rightful demands of the community with protecting the integrity of our investigation and prosecution.
WATN contributed to this report.
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