Details of officer's guilty plea in Tyre Nichols case announced

The prosecution recommends a maximum prison sentence of 480 months for these charges.

Martin could be called as a witness in the other cases.

Nichols died in a hospital on January 10, 2023, three days after he was kicked, punched, and beaten with a police baton following a traffic stop.

Lawyers for the Nichols family described Martin's confession as a domino effect, with more to follow.

Attorney Tony Romanucci says Nichols' death was a symptom of the now-defunct SCORPION unit.

“They were spreading terror long before January 7,” Romanucci said.

District Attorney Steve Mulroy issued the following statement regarding the confession:

“Today, Emmitt Martin entered a guilty plea in federal court that will result in a significant and well-deserved sentence. From the beginning, our office has closely coordinated our prosecution efforts with the Attorney General's Office. We expect that Martin will enter a similar plea in state court in due course.

This is another important step toward closure for the family of Tyre Nichols. While today's development is significant, there is still much work to be done. The public deserves confidence that those responsible for enforcing the law will be held accountable for excessive use of force. We remain committed to this fight for justice for Tyre.”

In November, Desmond Mills Jr., another former Memphis police officer, also changed his plea to federal charges of excessive use of force and obstruction of justice. Mills agreed to cooperate with prosecutors who recommended a 15-year prison sentence and could be called as a witness in the trial of the other defendants in Nichols' killing.

Martin, Mills and three other former police officers were charged in federal court in September. They deprived Nichols of his rights by using excessive force and failing to intervene, and obstructed justice by tampering with witnesses. They were also charged with premeditated murder in state court.

The three other fired officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith – still face federal civil rights violations, second-degree murder and other crimes in state court. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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