Desmond Mills Jr., a former Memphis Police Department officer federally convicted in the Tyre Nichols case, has requested a delayed sentencing, citing the unavailability of a character witness and the need to arrange childcare. According to Action News 5, Mills' sentencing, along with that of four other former officers, is scheduled to begin next week.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have proposed lengthy prison terms for two of Mills' former colleagues, recommending nearly 13 years for Justin Smith and Tadarrius Bean. Both were involved in the traffic stop that led to Nichols' fatal beating. As detailed in a report by Local Memphis, the recommendation given yesterday aims to underscore the severity of their offenses and to serve as a deterrent against future misconduct by law enforcement. Sentencing for Smith and Bean is slated for June 16.
In November 2023, Mills entered a guilty plea in federal court for using excessive force against Nichols and conspiring to tamper with a witness, as per information from the Daily Memphian. A separate plea deal concerning state charges was also agreed upon. Contrasting the federal verdicts, a state trial concluded on May 7, with acquittals for Smith and Bean on all charges, including second-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping, and likewise for their colleague Demetrius Haley.
