MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s been nearly four months since the January traffic stop which led to the death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, and now ABC24 has obtained a copy of his autopsy report.
The report says, “Based on the reported circumstances, the manner of death is classified as homicide.”
The cause of death according to the medical examiner is listed as “blunt force injuries to the head.” The report lists blunt force injuries to his head, neck, torso, and extremities, multiple cortical contusions, and several instances of hemorrhages throughout his body. It also lists multiple contusions, abrasions, and bruising to Nichols’ body. The autopsy report also said he suffered hemorrhages of the brain and liver failure.
Members of his family, and their attorneys, were able to see the full autopsy report earlier this week. ABC Nightline co-anchor Byron Pitts was in the room with the family when they heard the long-awaited report.
Toxicology results
According to the autopsy, ethanol — or drinking alcohol — and tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, were detected in Nichols' system. THC is found in marijuana.
The concentrations of alcohol and THC detected were low, said Dr. Andrew Stolbach, a medical toxicologist with Johns Hopkins Medicine who reviewed the autopsy report at the request of The Associated Press.
Nichols' alcohol level was .049, well below the legal limit to drive. The alcohol level is “about equivalent to a drink or two,” Stolbach said. “It’s a level that a lot of people would have after drinking socially, people capable of driving home legally.”
Those results are a direct contradiction to what Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, said first responders initially told her. Wells has maintained that she was told Tyre was drunk and high at the time of the incident, however the autopsy refutes he was intoxicated.
In addition, police officers can be heard in released body camera footage saying, of Tyre, “he high as a kite.”
Nichols' family attorneys on autopsy findings
The Wells’ attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci released this statement following the public release of the autopsy results:
“Video of this killing stunned the world, and we are once again stunned to see it put into words by the medical examiner. Tyre suffered blunt force injuries to the head, neck, torso, and extremities by Memphis Police. The utter brutality of the deadly beating that Tyre suffered is once again highlighted in these official autopsy results – no part of this young man was spared as he was tortured to death by these officers.”
The arrest that led to Nichols' death
Nichols was Black, as were the five police officers fired and charged with second-degree murder and other counts after his death. They pleaded not guilty Feb. 17.
Nichols was stopped by police Jan. 7 for an alleged traffic violation and was aggressively pulled out of his car by officers. An officer shot at Nichols with a stun gun, but Nichols ran away toward his nearby home, according to video footage released by the city of Memphis and other police records.
Officers who were part of a crime-suppression team known as Scorpion caught up with Nichols and punched him, kicked him and slugged him with a baton as he yelled for his mother.
After the beating, officers stood by and talked with one another as Nichols struggled with his injuries while he was on the ground, video showed. One officer also took photos of Nichols as he was propped up against an unmarked police car, video and other records showed.
Nichols was taken to a hospital in an ambulance that left the site of the beating 27 minutes after emergency medical technicians arrived, authorities said.
Nichols, 29, died three days later. His funeral was held Feb. 1.
Police said Nichols had been suspected of reckless driving, but no verified evidence of a traffic violation has emerged in public documents or in video footage, and Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis has said she has seen no evidence justifying the stop or the officers’ response. She disbanded the Scorpion unit after Nichols’ death.
Charges against those involved
In addition to the five Black officers fired and charged with murder, one white officer who was involved in the initial traffic stop has been fired. That officer will not face charges for his role in Nichols’ death. Another officer who has not been identified also has been fired. An additional officer retired before he could be fired.
Three Memphis Fire Department employees who were at the site of the arrest have been fired. Two Shelby County sheriff’s deputies who also were there were suspended.
Reaction to Nichols' death
Nichols’ family, their lawyers, community leaders and activists have called for changes within the Memphis Police Department concerning issues related to traffic stops, use of force, improving transparency and other policies. The city council has passed an ordinance ending traffic stops based solely on a single secondary violation, such as an improperly places license tag.
Nichols’ mother has filed a $550 million federal lawsuit against the city, the police department and police chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis. The city has declined comment on the lawsuit.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
