Rev. Sharpton responds to delay in releasing more body cam footage of fatal beating of Tyre Nichols

Photo caption: Rev. Al Sharpton

Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), issued the following statement on a Tennessee judge’s decision to block the release of 20 additional hours of footage and audio related to the fatal police beating of Tyre Nichols in early January.

The footage, along with additional documents, was set to be released Wednesday. But an attorney for one of the five Memphis police officers charged with murdering the 29-year-old Nichols filed a last-minute request to block its release. The judge’s decision to delay the release came just hours after the Department of Justice said it would conduct a review of the Memphis Police Department. In February, Rev. Sharpton delivered the powerful eulogy at Nichols funeral, where Vice President Kamala Harris delivered remarks.

“Delaying the release of this footage is delaying justice for Tyre Nichols and his family. The first round of body camera footage was disturbing on its own – and should be enough to convict all officers charged with this murder. What else are these cops worried this new footage is going to show? From the start we said this needs to be a transparent process. To tell the public you will release more evidence and then pull it back at the 11^th hour only causes more frustration for a city still reeling from this senseless killing. The National Action Network will not stop fighting until we have justice for Tyre Nichols and I call on the court to make this additional footage public immediately.”

About National Action Network (NAN) 

National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency, and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality, or gender.

For more information go to www.nationalactionnetwork.net.