HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut's leaders and local law enforcement and organizations say they are aghast after seeing "appalling" police body cam video of Memphis, Tenn. police officers beating Tyre Nichols earlier this month.
The Memphis Police Department released the police body cam footage Friday night of five of its police officers beating Nichols during a traffic stop on Jan. 7. Nichols died from injuries sustained in the beating three days later.
Gov. Ned Lamont called for a "more just society for everyone" in his statement about the video:
“Tyre Nichols should be alive today. His life matters, and my heart breaks for his family, friends, and loved ones. His last word was ‘mom.’
“I was struck by the beautiful photos taken by Tyre, which serve as a stark contrast to the horrifying video and images released last night. His family and our nation deserve a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation.
“We cannot continue this way. We must create a more just society for everyone. I’m committed to continuing that work here in Connecticut.”
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Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz released a statement, saying in part, "What we have witnessed with the treatment, beating and ultimately murder of Tyre Nichols at the hands of officers from the Memphis Police Department is not only disgusting and enraging, but completed depraved...Officers of the law are meant to serve and protect their communities, and it is our job now to make sure these officers are held accountable to the highest degree of that law, the law they were meant to uphold. It is incumbent upon us as leaders to ensure our criminal justice system lives up to its principles of equality and impartial justice, and we will continue to work together to ensure accountability at our state and local levels.”
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U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy called the content in the video "appalling" and called to question whether enough is being done to address "killings by the police in the United States."
“There are no words to adequately describe the outrage every American should feel about the brutal beating and death of Tyre Nichols. The body cam footage released tonight is appalling, and my heart is with the Nichols family as they are forced not only to grieve this unthinkable tragedy but also to relive the trauma in the public eye. The swift firing of the five police officers involved in Tyre’s death and the serious charges being brought against them are a step toward accountability. Tyre’s family deserves nothing short of a full and transparent investigation.
“Under no circumstances should the outcome of a routine traffic stop be the death of an innocent Black man. 32 years after the nation was transfixed by eerily similar footage of the beating of Rodney King, it’s time to ask: have we made any progress at all? Last year, killings by the police in the United States reached an all-time high. Congress must recognize that without systemic reform that addresses the root causes of this violence, Tyre’s death will just be one of over a thousand fatal police interactions in 2023.”
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State Treasurer Erick Russell released a statement, which said in part, “We can’t grow numb to this. We can’t continue to force entire communities to live with trauma, fear and distrust. We can’t keep mourning the absence of compassion and justice as citizens lay in the streets. We should not have to continue to demand damning video evidence to acknowledge basic elements of right and wrong. While the relatively quick response to this incident is noteworthy compared to others in the recent past, it is still another data point in an undeniable American problem. We need to do better. We need change."
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The Connecticut Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) said the brutality Nichols went through is "incomprehensible" and that the actions of the officers go against what CPCA stands for.
"The brutality suffered by Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police officers is incomprehensible. We share the outrage of Mr. Nichols’ family, the Memphis community, and the country. The actions of the officers, and equally as disturbing, the inaction of others, is inexcusable and an insult to the work of hundreds of thousands of police officers who do their jobs to the best of their abilities in service to their communities each and every day. Professional police officers know that treating every person with dignity, respect, and compassion regardless of their creed, color, gender, ethnicity, or any of the countless ways that people self-identify is fundamental to our role in society. Our thoughts go out to Mr. Nichols’ family, his friends, and the greater Memphis community.
"The Connecticut Police Chiefs Association is committed to providing the highest level of professional police service to Connecticut’s many stakeholders. We are proud of the men and women that we lead and believe wholeheartedly that they share our vision of public safety and the preservation of life. We pledge that we will remain committed to working with our communities to build organizations that provide safe, equitable, and respectful police services to everyone."
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Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner James Rovella and Connecticut State Police Colonel Stavros Mellekas released a joint statement regarding the video.
“Those five officers broke their solemn oath to protect and serve. They betrayed the entire profession for all of us who put on a badge every day to proudly protect and serve. They should be held accountable and anyone else like them. Our heartfelt apologies are sincerely offered to the Nichols family and please know, they are in our thoughts and prayers.”
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Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody released a statement Saturday regarding the video, saying he is "angry beyond words" from what happened.
"As someone who has dedicated most of my life to this profession, I will say that what occurred on January 7th in Memphis Tennessee is an absolute outrage, and I am angry beyond words. We have worked tirelessly with our community over the past few years to be better, to show that we are better, and to build and strengthen a relationship that is based on trust. The actions of the five police officers in Memphis were sickening not only to myself, but also to the men and women of the Hartford Police Department.
"What those officers in Memphis did was deplorable and a fundamental violation of the oath they swore to uphold. In this case, those sworn to protect and maintain public safety became violent criminals while wearing a badge of public trust.
"The Memphis Police Department, the Department of Justice, the FBI, Shelby County District Attorney's Office, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations acted quickly to terminate and subsequently arrest the officers responsible for the death of Tyre Nichols. Incidents such as this damage community trust across the world and at a local level, even when the incident occurs hundreds of miles away. The members of the Hartford Police Department stand with the family of Tyre Nichols and the entire Memphis community."
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In a joint statement, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and Police Chief Karl Jacobson responded to the video. They said in part,
“The heinous beating, treatment and murder of Tyre Nichols by officers of the Memphis Police Department is both sickening and enraging – and, like others, we watched the videos that were released last night with horror and disgust.
"We grieve with the Nichols family, the City of Memphis, and the nation at these abhorrent acts of police brutality and violence, we condemn them in the strongest possible terms, and we are glad that the officers involved will be held accountable for their criminal acts."
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"When I thought about Tyre, I thought about Rodney King. Rodney King was beaten, just like Tyre was beaten. Here we are at the same time standing with heavy hearts and wondering why did this happen?" said Rev. Dr. Boise Kimber at a press conference in New Haven Saturday. "But I do want to say that bad policing - whether you are Black or whether you are white - bad policing need to be dealt with and punished and jailed."
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Many police departments across Connecticut have also released statements on the video, including Middletown Police Chief Erik Costa, calling the brutality "cruel and unacceptable."
"The videos are beyond disturbing and set a dark cloud over the law enforcement professionals who are sworn to protect and serve their communities. We recognize that such Police Brutality shown in these videos highlight the breakdown in police ethics, judgment and training," Costa said in the statement in part. The full statement can be read here.
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"This intolerable failure in duty and service is the number one challenge for police leaders across the nation and police executives must discover efficient and effective ways to dismantle any perceived culture within policing that would condone or allow for such abuse of those that we are entrusted to protect and serve," said New London Police Chief Brian Wright in a statement in part. The full statement can be read here.
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"Farmington PD supports the fair and considerate treatment of everyone. Farmington PD whole heartedly echoes the message provided by the attached CPCA statement regarding the Memphis incident and the death of Tyre Nichols. Please be safe and respectful to one another," said Farmington Police Chief Colin Ryan in a statement.
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A joint statement from Danbury Mayor Dean Esposito and Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour said in part, "The video is appalling. Appropriately, these officers have already been terminated, arrested, and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. There is no rightful place in this profession for brutality under any circumstances." Read the full statement here.
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