Judge denies three ex-officers’ request for separate trials in Tyre Nichols killing

Judge says severing cases is not required to protect rights to a fair determination' of their guilt or innocence

A judge on Monday denied requests by three former Memphis officers to have separate trials in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop.

Lawyers for Tadarrius Bean, Desmond Mills and Justin Smith had filed motions to sever their cases from Demetrius Haley and Emmitt Martin, arguing that they could not receive fair trials if they all face a jury together for the violent beating of Nichols on 7 January that was caught on police video.