Desmond Mills Jr. agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of excessive force and obstruction of justice, as well as related state charges.
By Jonathan Mattise and Travis Loller, Associated PressThe screen at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans honors Tyre Nichols before an NBA basketball game, Jan. 28, 2023.
Mills pleaded guilty to federal charges of excessive force and obstruction of justice and agreed to plead guilty to related state charges. Mills also agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, who are recommending a 15-year sentence. The final sentencing decision rests with the judge. Sentencing is scheduled for May 22.
The five former officers — Mills, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin and Justin Smith — pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges in state court. Mills is the first to agree to change that plea to guilty. The plea agreement sets out Mills’ role in the fatal beating, detailing how he pepper-sprayed Nichols three times before pulling out a baton and yelling, “I’m about to baton the out of you.” He repeatedly struck Nichols, who was on the ground and surrounded by officers, never giving him an opportunity to comply with the command, “give us your hands!”
The remaining four officers have a May 6 trial date in federal court. A trial has not yet been set in state court. The indictment says the officers failed to tell dispatchers, their supervisor and emergency medical technicians that they knew Nichols had been hit repeatedly. It alleged they were trying to cover up their use of force and shield themselves from criminal liability.
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