Editor’s note: This article contains explicit descriptions of violence that may be disturbing.
( Spanish) — After weeks of tragic accounts of the death of Tire Nichols, a 29-year-old man who died after being brutally beaten by five Memphis Police officers, his family will hold his funeral this Wednesday, in a ceremony where they will It is attended by various local and federal officials, and is expected to receive extensive press coverage.
Nichols was hospitalized after his arrest on January 7 and died three days later from his injuries, according to police. Five Memphis Police Department officers, also black, were fired after an internal investigation and face criminal charges.
Last Friday the authorities revealed the violent images of the beating that Nichols suffered, sparking widespread protests in several cities in the United States. While the Memphis Police Chief, Cerelyn “CJ” Davis, condemned the conduct of the agents and said that she continues to investigate other uniformed officers.
Here’s what we know about Nichols’ funeral.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump (right) accompanies Rodney Wells and RowVaughn Wells, stepfather and mother of Tire Nichols, to a news conference on January 27, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)
When will the funeral be?
Nichols’ funeral is scheduled for February 1 at 10:30 am local time (11:30 am ET) at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, located at 70 N Bellevue Boulevard.
The coffin is expected to be closed during the funeral, according to a Church statement.
Who will officiate the ceremony?
The priest Lawrence Turnersenior pastor of the church and secretary-treasurer of the Board of The National Action Network, a civil rights advocacy group, will officiate the ceremony.
Also present will be the Rev. Al Sharpton, a well-known civil rights activist, who will deliver a eulogy for Nichols, according to a Church statement.
There will be live broadcast
The Church reported that for this funeral service there will be a live broadcast through its social networks, on Facebook and YouTube, it says in the statement.
There is also expected to be a press conference right after the ceremony.
On January 27, 2023, the City of Memphis released explicit footage showing the fatal police assault of Nichols, a 29-year-old, who died three days after a brutal beating by five police officers. (Credit: JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)
White House officials will be present.
The White House announced that four government officials will be present at Nichols’ funeral on Wednesday.
- Keisha Lance Bottoms, White House Senior Advisor for Public Engagement
- Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator
- Tara Murray, Special Assistant to President Biden and Deputy Director of the Office of Public Participation
- Erica Loewe, director of African-American media.
US President Joe Biden spoke with RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, Nichols’ mother and stepfather, last Friday to directly express his condolences.
–With reporting from ‘s Nick Valencia, Jamiel Lynch and Phil Mattingly.
