Tyre Nichols Beating: Memphis Police Officers Gave Victim 71 Confusing Commands In 13 Minutes

Memphis police officers reportedly gave Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old victim of police brutality, a total of at least 71 confusing commands in a span of 13 minutes.

According to a New York Times report, analysis of footage earlier released by Memphis authorities showed that police officers shouted at least 71 commands at Nichols from the time he was pulled over until before he was reported to be in official custody.

The commands were reportedly hard to follow for the victim. The police officers severely beat Nichols when he could not comply and even when he managed to follow.

"The orders were issued at two locations, one near Mr. Nichols's vehicle and the other in the area he had fled to and where he would be severely beaten," the Times said. "The orders were often simultaneous and contradictory. Officers commanded Mr. Nichols to show his hands even as they were holding his hands. They told him to get on the ground even when he was on the ground. And they ordered him to reposition himself even when they had control of his body."

Police officers present did not stop the use of aggressive force, as seen in the footage.

Officers also repeatedly screamed "On the ground!" to Nichols even after the victim pointed out that he was already sitting on the ground.

"Get on the ground!" one ordered, as quoted by the Times. "I'm gonna tase your ass."

Nichols, however, was already lying down. When he tried to reposition himself, the officers were infuriated further.

"You guys are really doing a lot right now," he said. "I'm just trying to go home."

One officer doused some pepper spray on the victim's face.

"You're about to get sprayed good," he said, per the Times. Other officials started punching Nichols's face, to which the victim responded by pulling his hands back to protect himself.

The punching, however, intensified, and Nichols was doused with more pepper spray even after he said that he was going to comply.

One officer was reportedly captured saying "I hope they stomp his ass" in the footage.

Further, the police officers continued to issue conflicting commands such as "Give us your hands!" while they were simultaneously constraining, controlling and beating Nichols.

Nichols was hospitalized after the confrontation and subsequently died three days after, as per Reuters.

The five officers who beat the 29-year-old father to death were charged with murder, kidnapping, assault and other charges on Thursday last week. They were also dismissed from the Memphis police department.

The special police unit that the five officers were part of was also disbanded.

Nichols's death prompted some protests and raised once again calls for broader police reforms.

"What's most shocking about it all is the brutality and then at the end, the complete dehumanization of this man. He's not even human to them – he's not even a person," Randolph McLaughlin, professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law and co-chair of the Newman Ferrara civil rights practice, told The Guardian. "It's as if they just went and played a baseball game and they talked about what happened afterward. There's absolutely no excuse for this."

"These are not crimes that are being committed in isolation," the civil rights advocate said, per the Guardian. "Black and brown men, and poor people, are being treated in this fashion."