Former Memphis police officer to plead guilty in Tyre Nichols death, attorney says

Nov. 1 (UPI) -- A former Memphis, Tenn., police officer charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop will plead guilty to federal civil rights violations on Thursday, his attorney said.

Desmond Mills Jr. -- one of five Memphis Police officers charged in Nichols' death in January -- plans to change his plea to guilty, his attorney, Blake Ballin, said. Mills is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday. The terms of his plea agreement have not been made public.

The other officers -- Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin and Justin Smith -- pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. They each face a life sentence without the chance for parole.

Nichols, 29, died on Jan. 10, three days after being kicked, punched and hit with a baton by police officers during a traffic stop. In September, a federal grand jury indicted the former officers on charges they deprived Nichols of his constitutional rights during the incident.

The former officers also face state charges that include second-degree murder and aggravated assault. They pleaded not guilty.