Tyre Nichols‘ mother can’t bring herself to watch the video of Memphis police beating her son so badly he ended up dying in a hospital — she says it would just be too painful.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Nichols family, tells TMZ … Tyre’s mother, RowVaughn Wells, is still not interested in watching the police body cam footage … even though it was released Friday to the public.
FOX 13 Memphis
We’re told Tyre’s mom is glad the video is out now, so folks can see what really happened … but she just can’t bear to see it herself — just as she didn’t when it was first made available to the family. Ben says she probably never will watch it.
As we reported … the video is every bit as disturbing as Tyre’s family and law enforcement described, and it all started with a traffic stop Jan. 7 in Memphis.
Memphis Police Department
In the footage, you see officers wail on Tyre as he screams for his mom — punching him in the face, kicking him in the head, using pepper spray and even beating him with a baton.
Memphis Police Department
After a massive struggle, cops got Tyre in handcuffs and sat him up against a police car — Tyre writhes in pain for nearly 20 minutes before he’s given medical assistance.
Following a vicious beating from cops, Tyre complained he was having shortness of breath and he was rushed to a hospital, where he died 3 days later.
While gruesome, Crump says Tyre’s mom thinks it’s extremely important for the world to see how police treated her son … and she hopes the video prevents a similar tragedy from happening to another family.
1/24/23
WHBQ-TV
The video’s already being linked to the beating of Rodney King way back in 1991 … and we’re told Tyre’s mom understands the footage is triggering for many, and she’s preparing to be flooded with calls.
The 5 Memphis police officers involved in the incident — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmit Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith — have already been fired and charged with second-degree murder.
One thing Tyre’s mom doesn’t want to get glossed over … the incident isn’t just a hashtag for her … her son is dead.
With the video out in the public domain and protests happening in response, we’re told RowVaughn is surrounding herself with family and friends … and she’s asking folks to keep her and her family in their prayers.