Former Memphis police officer pleads guilty in death of Tyre Nichols

Desmond Mills Jr. pleaded guilty on Thursday to federal charges of excessive force and obstruction of justice in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in January of this year. As part of a plea deal, Mills will also plead guilty to related charges at the state level. Mills is one of five black former officers who are being tried, and the first to plead guilty. He and the others had previously pleaded not guilty at the state level.

How was Nichols killed? The former officers said they pulled Nichols over because he was driving recklessly, but Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said no evidence showed that to be true. Videos show the officers pulling Nichols out of his car, kicking and punching him, and hitting him with batons. He died three days later from blunt force injuries to the head, according to an autopsy report. Nichols was 29 years old.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in WORLD Roundups about advocates calling for federal police reform.