Police beat Tyre Nichols like 'a human piñata,' say attorneys for the Memphis man's family

Memphis police officers beat motorist Tyre Nichols for three minutes, treating him like “a human piñata” in a “savage” encounter reminiscent of the infamous 1991 police

beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King, attorneys for the family said Monday. Attorney Benjamin Crump said police video viewed by the family on Monday showed that

Nichols was shocked, pepper sprayed and restrained after the 29-year-old FedEx worker and father was pulled over Jan. 7 minutes from his home while returning from a suburban park

where he had taken photos of the sunset. Another attorney, Antonio Romanucci, said Nichols was kicked before Crump stopped him from saying more. Crump said Nichols’ family

agreed to investigators’ request to wait a week or two before making the video public to “make sure to give this family what they want most, and that is justice.” Shelby County

Dist. Atty. Steve Mulroy said in a statement Monday that investigators don’t want to risk compromising the investigation. Crump said the video shows that the encounter was

“violent” and “troublesome on every level.” Romanucci called it “savage” and out of proportion to the alleged offense. The city has been on edge about the release of the

police footage because of the possibility of unrest. Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells, asked that if there are protests, that they remain peaceful, saying violence “is not what

Tyre wanted and won’t bring him back.” Nichols — described by family as a “good kid” who loved skateboarding, photography and his 4-year-old son — was arrested after

officers stopped him on suspicion of reckless driving.