Tyre Nichols’ mother discusses lawsuit against Memphis and officers who beat him

Geoff Bennett:

The family of Tyre Nichols, who died in January after being severely beaten by five Memphis police officers, has filed a $550 million federal lawsuit against the city of Memphis over his death.

The Nichols family and their attorneys spoke about the suit at a press conference earlier today.

Benjamin Crump, Attorney for Family of Tyre Nichols: Today, we are sending a message that, in Tyre's name, in Tyre's legacy, we're going to have meaningful legislation and meaningful accountability, to the point where we will not have any other individuals killed in the manner that Tyre Nichols was killed.

Geoff Bennett:

The five police officers charged with second-degree murder in Nichols' death have pleaded not guilty. The Memphis Police Department declined to comment on the lawsuit today.

We're joined now by Tyre Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, and civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

Thank you both for being with us.

And, Mrs. Wells, you said in the press conference today that this lawsuit is not about the money. It's about accountability. What message do you hope it sends?

RowVaughn Wells, Mother of Tyre Nichols: Well, what I hope it sends is that these officers think about their actions and what they're doing, and learning how to take accountability for their actions.

Just like I said earlier, this is not about monetary, because there's no money in this world is — there's not enough money in this world that can bring my son back. But things have to change. And, hopefully, this will make a change.

Geoff Bennett:

Ben Crump, the dollar amount of this lawsuit, $550 million, how did you arrive at that figure? And what's the intention behind it?

Benjamin Crump:

Certainly, attorney Romanucci and our legal team were intentional with $550 million in damages what we're seeking in this landmark lawsuit, because it not only speaks to the value of the claim for how Tyre Nichols was savagely beaten to death, but it also speaks to the conduct of all these officers, and the fact that they were following policies by these police oppression units that terrorize Black and brown communities.

We wanted to send a message to city leadership all across America, who have these jump-out boys, as they're known in the Black community, that, if you continue to have these unconstitutional units, if it happens in your city, then we're coming next to your city with a record-setting amount to make it financially unsustainable for them to continue to unjustly kill Black and brown people.

Geoff Bennett:

Mr. Crump, the suit, in reading through it, all 139 pages of it, it alleges negligence from top to bottom by the city in hiring the police chief, C.J. Davis, the lax process for hiring officers.

But tell us more about what you were just talking about, this SCORPION — the SCORPION unit, this — the street crime unit that was disbanded after five of its officers were charged with Tyre Nichols' murder.

Benjamin Crump:

And, Geoff, as we said previously, when you saw how those officers acted so callously, as if this was just business as usual, it told you that this was a pattern. This was nothing unique to them.

And then we find out that this was part of the modus operandi of the SCORPION unit, just like it was the REDDOG unit where — in Atlanta when Chief Davis, was there, as attorney Romanucci and I articulated in the lawsuit.

And so what we believe, it was foreseeable that, if you have these oppression units, I mean, just flagrantly violating the constitutional rights, and brutalizing certain people in the community, that somebody innocent like Tyre Nichols was going to be killed.

And so this lawsuit seeks to prevent anybody else from being killed like Tyre Nichols was.

Geoff Bennett:

Mr. Crump, in the absence of federal police reform, are sweeping lawsuits like this one with colossal damages attached, is this a work-around to arrive at fair and just policing, as you see it?

Benjamin Crump:

You hit the hammer right on the nail, Geoff.

If the national leaders can't put politics aside for people, then we have to put the people first and find strategic ways of how we can make sure that we prevent this from ever happening again. I mean, in every city in America practically, major city, you have these jump-out units. And if we're not going to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act with the Tyre Nichols Duty to Intervene in Congress, then we got to do everything we can on the local and state level to make it happen.

We cannot wait. We can't have the blood of any more Tyre Nichols on our hands.

Geoff Bennett:

Mrs. Wells, it's been more than three months since your son's tragic death.

How are you doing? How are you making it through?

RowVaughn Wells:

Well, it's been very difficult.

As I have told people, when this all happened, I was a little numb. And now everything is starting to just become real now. It's been a long, three months. It's been a hurtful three months, because, as I tell people, I have three other children that I have to stay strong for.

I tell people to keep praying for me, because their prayers are the ones that's keeping me and holding me up. And I just try to wake up every day and deal with it day by day. And that's all I can do. And just make sure that I continue to seek justice for my son's murder.

Geoff Bennett:

What do you want people to know about your boy?

RowVaughn Wells:

That he was a fun-loving, outgoing, beautiful human being.

He would give you the shirt off his back if he felt you needed it more than he did. He loved his son. He was just a beautiful person. And this was just tragic, because this shouldn't have happened to Tyre. This just shouldn't have happened to him.

Geoff Bennett:

RowVaughn Wells and attorney Ben Crump, I deeply appreciate your time. Thank you for being with us.

Benjamin Crump:

Thank you, Geoff.

RowVaughn Wells:

Thank you. Thank you for having us.