Three former Memphis police officers were found guilty of witness tampering

following the fatal beating of Tyree Nichols after a January 2023 traffic stop.

John Yang is here with more.

Um, those three officers, Demetrius, I'm sorry, Tadarius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justice

Smith were convicted of trying to cover up their actions.

Haley was also convicted of violating Nichols' civil rights

by causing bodily injury, a lesser charge than what he was indicted on.

And Bean and Smith were acquitted of civil rights charges.

They were among the five former officers who fatally punched, kicked, and hit Nichols in 2023

after he ran from a traffic stop.

Police's body cam and surveillance video of the fatal encounter

was shown almost every day of the three-week trial. After the verdict was read, Tyree Nichols

father said that the family was all elated.

He said, this is justice.

It was a long time coming.

Now, the three also face state murder charges.

Thaddeus Johnson teaches criminal justice and criminology at Georgia State University.

He's also a former ranking Memphis police officer.

Thaddeus, what do you make of this verdict, sort of this split decision? Well, it makes sense and this is what we actually want in our court system to cater the punishments

or the charges for the actual crimes.

And so based on the evidence on what the jury who are more than capable

were able to judge against, they came up with a verdict

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