After weeks of tragic accounts of the death of Tire Nichols, a 29-year-old man who died after being brutally beaten by five Memphis Police officers, his family will hold his funeral this Wednesday in a ceremony attended by various local and federal officials, and is expected to receive extensive press coverage.
Nichols was hospitalized after his arrest on January 7 and died three days later from his injuries, according to police. Five Memphis Police Department officers, also black, were fired after an internal investigation and face criminal charges.
Last Friday the authorities revealed the violent images of the beating that Nichols suffered, sparking widespread protests in several cities in the United States. While the Memphis Police Chief, Cerelyn “CJ” Davis, condemned the conduct of the agents and said that she continues to investigate other uniformed officers.
Despite his tragic death, mourners are expected to arrive at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis to celebrate Nichols’ life rather than focus on the harrowing images of the beating that left him in a hospital bed for days with the badly swollen and bruised face before his death, sparking nationwide protests.
Nichols’ funeral will take place less than a week after the release Friday night of footage of the attack on Nichols that rocked a nation accustomed to videos of police brutality, especially against people of color. All five officers charged in Nichols’ death are black.
Tire Nichols’ funeral which was initially scheduled for this Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. ET was rescheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET, due to inclement weather, according to a statement from the office of Ben Crump, the attorney for the Nichols family.
The ceremony will be at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, located at 70 N Bellevue Boulevard.
The coffin is expected to be closed during the funeral, according to a church statement.
