Desmond Mills Jr., one of the five former Memphis, Tennessee, police officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols, has changed his plea to guilty for federal civil rights, obstruction, and conspiracy charges, according to the Department of Justice.
Mills, 33, had entered a not guilty plea when arraigned in September.
During a court hearing Thursday, Mills admitted his guilt to two of the four counts in the indictment, which specifically pertain to excessive force and a failure to intervene. Additionally, he confessed to conspiring to conceal his use of unlawful force during the incident, reported ABC News.
Nichols, 29, died on Jan. 10, three days after a violent encounter with police that evolved from a traffic stop.
“This one today was very difficult for me because this was really the first time I actually heard somebody tell and say what they actually did to my son,” Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, told reporters outside the courthouse.
“So this was very difficult. But I’m hoping that Mr. Mills, it was his conscience that allowed him to make this plea agreement and not because of his lawyers telling him it was the right thing to do,” she said.
DOJ prosecutors disclosed that they would recommend a maximum prison sentence of 15 years for Mills.
The federal indictment alleges that Mills, along with Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, and Emmitt Martin III, violated Nichols’ constitutional rights during the Jan. 7 traffic stop. The indictment contends that none of the accused officers reported the assault on Nichols to the Memphis police dispatcher, their supervisors, or medical personnel.
According to the indictment, despite openly discussing their actions at the scene, the officers failed to communicate this information to first responders or their superiors, even as Nichols’ condition deteriorated, ultimately rendering him unresponsive.
Mills, as part of his plea agreement, openly admitted to “repeatedly and unjustifiably striking Nichols with a baton and failing to intervene when other officers used force against Nichols,” the DOJ stated in a press release.
Additionally, he acknowledged failing to provide necessary medical assistance to Nichols despite being acutely aware of the severity of his medical needs. Furthermore, he failed to alert the police or emergency medical technicians regarding Nichols’ head and body injuries.
The gravity of Mills’ actions is underscored by his confession to fabricating false statements and accounts regarding Nichols’ arrest, and the use of force employed in the incident, both to his supervisor and in a Memphis Police Department report, as outlined by the DOJ.
Attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represent Nichols’ grieving family, said, “Desmond Mills’ plea today is entirely consistent with our allegations in the civil lawsuit against the city of Memphis.”
The other four defendants maintain their not guilty pleas for federal charges and await a trial starting May 6, 2024. If convicted, two counts could lead to life sentences, and two others carry a maximum 20-year penalty.
Additionally, all five former officers face state-level charges, including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated kidnapping in connection with Nichols’ death. They have pleaded not guilty.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Jim Thomas | editorial.thomas@newsmax.com
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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