Decertification hearings for others investigated in his death are pending. Decertification prevents officers from going to work in the same jurisdiction. They can still get police jobs out of state.
Lt. DeWayne Smith served as a supervisor on the now-deactivated SCORPION unit — the specialized police unit responsible for conducting the traffic stop that ultimately lead to Nichols' death.
The 20-some hours of video and audio footage were set to be released Wednesday alongside other documents from the city's investigation into the officers involved in the 29-year-old Black man's death.
They were arraigned on charges of murder, assault and other felonies. Tyre Nichols died three days after officers beat him following a Jan. 7 traffic stop.
Two sheriff's deputies who have been suspended for five days failed to keep their body cameras activated after they went to the location where Nichols had been beaten by Memphis police, officials say.
The Shelby County District Attorney's Office says it will review all "closed and pending" cases of the five former Memphis police officers charged in Nichols' death. Four had prior violations at work.
Preston Hemphill had been suspended as he was investigated for his role in the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who died in a hospital three days later. Five Memphis officers have already been fired.
Five officers have been indicted over the beating death of Nichols. Four of them had been disciplined earlier by the Memphis police department for car crashes, failure to report use of force and more.
Tuesday on Political Rewind:More voices are calling for Congress to pass a bill that would address police misconduct. The bill passed the U.S. House in 2021 but was never taken up by the Senate. Plus, Southern Democrats urge President Biden and the Democratic National Committee to hold their convention in Atlanta.
Nichols, 29, was pulled over on Jan. 7 for what police said was reckless driving. After trying to flee on foot, Nichols was severely beaten by police. He died in a hospital days later.
Memphis authorities initially said Tyre Nichols was taken into custody after two "confrontations" with police. Video footage released later shows Nichols being fatally beaten by officers.
Minority Leader James Beverly spoke in the Georgia House of Representatives about Tyre Nichols' killing and the police culture that contributed to his death.