Many people in Memphis watched the footage, but there were also others that didn't. They felt that whatever they would learn wouldn't be outweighed by the trauma of seeing something like this. Is there a sense that the way the City of Memphis has handled this case so far? That may help explain why the reaction has been peaceful and to a degree a little understated.
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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