Lindsey Graham supports ‘accountability’ for police departments in wake of Tire Nichols’ death

Sin Lindsey Graham (R-SC) wrote Sunday in support of police departments facing accountability for the actions of the officers they employ.

Graham’s statement on social media comes after footage was released showing 29-year-old Tire Nichols being beaten to death by five Memphis Police Department officers, which Graham called “horrifying.” The South Carolina senator compared police departments to businesses, and like businesses, police departments should be held accountable for the products or services they provide.

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“I oppose civil suits against individual officers,” Graham wrote. “However, holding police departments accountable makes sense, and they should face accountability for the misconduct of their officers.”

I oppose civil suits against individual agents.

However, holding police departments accountable makes sense and they should face accountability for the misconduct of their officers.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 29, 2023

Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., speaks during a news conference about her visit to Ukraine and calls for more military aid to Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Jacquelyn Martin/AP

The footage of Nichols’ death was released a little more than two weeks after his death. The five officers involved in the beating of Nichols, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith, were immediately fired from the department before facing criminal charges, with the street crimes unit they were part of. which dissolves on Saturday.

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Criminal charges facing the five include second-degree murder, two counts of official misconduct, one count of official oppression, aggravated assault in concert and two counts of aggravated kidnapping. Haley, Martin and Smith were released after posting $350,000 bond, and Bean and Mills were also released on $250,000 bond.

“It’s clear these officers violated department policies and training,” read a statement from Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland (D) “But we’re doing everything we can to prevent this from happening again. We’re starting an external and independent review of the training, policies and operations of our specialist units.”

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