Tyreen Nichols was pulled over by police on suspicion of reckless driving. He then took off on foot, and there was a physical confrontation between him and officers. During the course of those confrontations, he sustained a level of injury that was so severe that he needed to be hospitalized. After being unconscious for three days, Tyreen died on January 10th.
This episode contains descriptions of violence and strong language.
Tyre Nichols was a 29-year-old Black man who lived in Memphis. His mother described him as living a simple and pleasant life. He worked for FedEx, loved to skateboard, was an amateur photographer and had a 4-year-old son.
On the evening of Jan. 7, after a traffic stop, Mr. Nichols was violently beaten by the police, sustaining severe injuries. He died on Jan. 10.
For weeks, what exactly had happened was unclear. This weekend, videos of the encounter were released.
Guest: Rick Rojas, the Southern bureau chief for The New York Times.
Background reading:
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