Nationwide — The family of Tyre Nichols, an African American man from Memphis, Tennessee, who died after a police beating, has removed five former officers from a $550 million civil lawsuit. The move is aimed at keeping the case moving forward and avoiding long delays before trial.
Court records show Nichols’ mother, Row Vaughn Wells, filed to dismiss Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith from the lawsuit.
According to WREG, Wells said the decision was made to help keep the November 9, 2026, trial date on schedule. She also pointed out that continuing with all defendants could stretch the case out for years.
Documents also indicate that Wells is in the process of removing Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis from the civil suit. The original lawsuit, filed in April 2023, targeted the City of Memphis along with several current and former city officials and employees.
The City of Memphis previously argued that the $550 million claim could place major financial pressure on the city. Officials pointed to the $27 million settlement in the George Floyd case as a benchmark for how large police-related payouts can become.
Attorney John Keith Perry, who represents former officer Tadarrius Bean, said a federal court dismissed the claims against his client. He added that Bean was cleared in both criminal and civil proceedings and is now focused on restoring his reputation following the 2023 incident.
Three of the former officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith, were previously tried in state court in connection with Nichols’ death and were acquitted.