ORLANDO, Fla. — The police body cam video involving Tyre Nichols paints one picture of the struggle up-close, but a camera on a lamp post gives the best perspective of the violent nature of the police activity.
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One legal analyst sat down with Channel 9, and compared the incident to George Floyd, citing the bird’s-eye view capture where you can see multiple officers surrounding Nichols, and at times pinning him down.
“They’re not using appropriate police tactics,” said Dr. Jeremy Levitt with the Florida A&M University College of Law.
Officers are seen in the video hitting Nichols in the head and at times on the back, then multiple officers kicking him repeatedly, possibly 25 to 30 times.
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“They’re wearing boots, by the way,” Levitt said. “These are not soft sneakers, so this is significant body trauma he’s experienced.”
Levitt went on to say that none of the five officers “had the courage to intervene, none of them showed any care.”
All five officers involved were fired and charged after Nichols died days later.
READ: ‘Devastated and outraged’: Central Florida reacts to Tyre Nichols arrest video
As for a legal perspective about the force he saw used in the video clip, Levitt said, “They clearly believe that he resisted arrest, that he ran, that he fought them, that he tried to grab their gun.”
“I don’t have any reason to doubt what they’re saying, but the way they used force against him wouldn’t be appropriate in any context because the man is unarmed,” Levitt said.
Levitt said the video shows criminal conduct, official oppression, assault and criminal conduct in the video.
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