Three former Memphis police officers acquitted in fatal beating of Tyre Nichols

A portrait of Tyre Nichols displayed at a memorial service (Adrian Sainz/AP)

Three former Memphis police officers were acquitted on Wednesday of charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he ran away from a traffic stop, a death that sparked nationwide protests and prompted renewed calls for police reforms in the US.

A jury, which appeared to be all white, took just over eight hours over two days to find Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith not guilty on all charges after a nine-day trial in state court in Memphis.