Photo: Getty Images
Former Memphis police officer Emmitt Martin III admitted to repeatedly punching a "helpless" Tyre Nichols and lying about the fatal beating to his supervisor.
On Tuesday (September 17), Martin, one of the five ex-officers charged in the January 2023 death of Nichols, testified in court after pleading guilty to civil rights violations including excessive force and witness tampering in connection to the fatal beating, per the Associated Press.
Martin said Nichols fled the January 7, 2023 traffic stop after he was pulled over and yanked from his car. According to Martin, ex-colleagues Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith initially chased after Nichols and were punching him when the former officer caught up with them.
“They were assaulting him,” Martin testified on Tuesday.
Bean, Smith and Demetrius Haley pleaded not guilty to charges of depriving Nichols of his civil rights through excessive force and failure to inverne and obstructed justice through witness tampering. Martin took a plea deal along with Desmond Mills Jr. The two are testifying against their former colleagues.
Martin admitted he was angry because Nichols had fled the traffic stop and the team hadn't made any arrests that night.
“I figured that’s what he should get,” Martin said.
The ex-cop said he kicked Nichols as Mills hit him with a baton. Martin added that he punched Nichols at least five times while Bean and Smith held the 29-year-old arms down and encouraged him to keep going.
“He was helpless,” Martin said of Nichols.
Martin also admitted to lying to his supervisor about the officers' use of force. Martin said he told the supervisor that Nichols was high, had driven into oncoming traffic, and tried to hit officers during the arrest.
The former officer said he also lied to his supervisor about Nichols grabbing his weapon.
“I exaggerated his actions to justify mine,” Martin said.
At the time, Martin said his colleagues had an understanding. "They weren’t going to tell on me, and I wasn’t going to tell on them,” he testified.
Martin acknowledged his plea deal on Tuesday, asking the judge to show leniency in his sentencing.
“I can’t sit here and live with a lie. The truth needs to come out,” Martin said. “It was eating me up inside.”
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