Emmitt Martin III, one of the five fired officers involved in the incident, is expected to also plead guilty to related Tennessee state charges, according to the Shelby County District Attorney's Office.

Emmitt Martin III pleaded guilty to two out of the four federal counts against him, specifically one charge for depriving Nichols of his civil rights and another for witness tampering. As part of his plea agreement, Martin has agreed to cooperate with the investigation. This development now raises the possibility that he may testify against his fellow former officers, as he admitted to conspiring with them to provide a misleading account of the beating.

The guilty plea of Emmitt Martin III follows the similar actions taken by another fired Memphis police officer, Desmond Mills, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in November. Mills, like Martin, also agreed to plead guilty to related Tennessee state charges and promised to cooperate with both state and federal prosecutors.

In exchange for his guilty plea, Desmond Mills, who was originally facing life in prison, has agreed to a 15-year sentence with state and federal prosecutors, according to the Shelby County District Attorney's Office.

Under Martin's plea deal, federal prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of no more than 40 years, with the option for Martin to seek a lesser term. This development comes as Martin and Mills were among the five officers who had previously pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights offenses and state charges of second-degree murder.

The federal trial, scheduled to begin on September 9th, will shed further light on this tragic incident that has stirred national debates about racism and police brutality in the United States. The state trial, however, is currently on hold pending the development of the federal case.

The disturbing police video, captured in January 2023, shows the officers kicking, punching, pepper-spraying, and striking Tyre Nichols with a baton. Nichols, who was only 29 years old, tragically passed away in the hospital three days later.

As the trials progress, many await justice for Tyre Nichols and hope that these proceedings will serve as a stepping stone towards greater accountability within law enforcement and the eradication of racial bias in policing.