Candlelight vigils on Sunday will commemorate the one-year anniversary of the killing of Trye Nichols by Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers.
A vigil will be held in Memphis on January 7 at 7 p.m. at the intersection of Castlegate Lane and Ross Road. Another vigil will take place in Nichols’ hometown of Sacramento, California at the Tyre Nichols Skate Park at 5 p.m. CST.
“During the vigils attendees will come together to reflect on Nichols’ life, share memories and stand united in demanding accountability and justice,” reads a statement from attorney Ben Crump’s office. “Candles will be lit in his honor, and as a symbol of hope and remembrance.”
Crump and Antonio Romanucci, attorneys for the Nichols family, also released a letter ahead of the anniversary of Nichols’ death.
“Our legal team is fiercely committed to fighting for justice for Tyre and vigorously restate our assertions that the Scorpion Unit officers involved acted at the direction of [an MPD] policy that violated the civil rights of innocent civilians and caused needless pain to many,” reads the letter.
The anniversary of Nichols’ death coincides with the release of information by former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, where he explained that he “actively avoided signing and enforcing the Driving Equality Act in honor of Tyre Nichols that the Memphis City Council passed in Spring 2023.” The law would have required Memphis police officers to skip traffic stops for offenses like temporary tags, damaged bumpers, or lapsed car registration.
Both Crump and Romanucci said that they are “deeply disturbed” by this revelation and that this would have directed “meaningful reform in how Memphis Police should conduct and report traffic stops.” They have also vowed to hold Mayor Paul Young accountable for holding up plans to enact this reform.
“These types of commonsense changes to police policies and practices are essential to establishing trust between communities and police,” said the attorneys in a statement. “Had changes to law enforcement policies been enacted in 2020, we strongly believe Tyre Nichols would be alive today.”