Three former Memphis police officers have just been convicted of obstruction of justice and witness tampering in the January 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols. Two others have already pleaded guilty.
Graphic police body camera video documented the incident after Nichols was stopped for allegedly trying to beat a red light. Officers swarmed his car with guns raised, shouting expletive-laden orders for him to get out and show his hands. “I didn’t do anything,” Nichols, a FedEx worker, protested. “Get out of the f**** car,” an officer yelled.
At no point did the officers explain to Nichols why he was pulled over. Nichols was handcuffed and brutally beaten. He died three days later.
The footage, like other video of police encounters, quickly went viral and was key evidence in the officers’ federal trial.
Once met with resistance, body cameras are now recognized as potential tools for reform – not as evidence, but as data.
Stanford researchers are at the forefront of using AI to analyze bodycam footage to improve policing.
