Family Says Goodbye to Tyre

The funeral for Tyre Nichols came to an end Wednesday afternoon.

The service, which lasted for about two hours, featured remarks from attorney Ben Crump, Reverend Al Sharpton and Vice President Kamala Harris, among others. Members of Nichols' family also shared their memories of him and their sadness at his passing near the end of the service.

Sharpton delivered a eulogy for Nichols, during which he called for equal and fair treatment. He questioned how the Memphis Police Department was able to "keep crime down on one side of town without beating someone to death," but not do the same on the other side of town.

"I believe if that man had been white you wouldn't have beaten him like that that night," Sharpton said. He later urged members of Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, saying, "we cannot continue to live under these double standards."

Shortly after beginning his remarks, Sharpton called Vice President Kamala Harris to the stage. Harris was invited to attend the funeral on Tuesday but had not planned on speaking, according to her press secretary.

Harris delivered brief remarks before those gathered for the funeral when Sharpton called her up to speak. She too urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which she said President Joe Biden would sign. She said the beating Nichols suffered before his death "was not in the interest of keeping the public safe."

"Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe?" she asked.

After her remarks, Harris returned to sit beside Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells. Sharpton concluded his eulogy and stepped aside so that Crump, who is representing the Nichols family, could deliver a call to action.

Later during the service, members of Nichols' family addressed the funeral attendees to share their memories of Nichols and their anguish at the violence leading up to his death.

Nichols' older sister said her younger brother was "robbed of his life, his passion, his talents, but not his light."

"I see the world showing him love and fighting for his justice," she said. "But all I want is my baby brother back."

Jon Stewart Blasts CNN for Replaying Bodycam Video

Comedian Jon Stewart criticized CNN for repeatedly playing the bodycam footage of Tyre Nichols' beating on air.

During an episode of his podcast, "The Problem with Jon Stewart," staff writer Kasaun Wilson said he was avoiding social media so he wouldn't see footage from the incident.

"I think this is the first time where I'm like, you know what I'm not gonna go on Twitter, I'm not going on Facebook. I'm just gonna relax and let it do its thing," he said.

Wilson also blasted CNN for playing the video.

"I wish y'all would stop. Y'all just playing it in restaurants and McDonald's and Wendy's," he said.

"They're playing it like Fox play's Spring break footage," Stewart echoed. "Like it's just on the loop and now it's like they're talking about something else, but the girls in bikinis are still dancing."

He added that seeing the footage play over and over again on every screen is "numbing."

"When they first put it out there, they had to do that like cheesy disclaimer — 'Now this image — the images you're about to see, are somewhat disturbing and I wanna warn everybody,' and then [f***ing] two hours later it's just rolling like it's a Vine," Stewart said.

Stewart accused the news media of being "almost giddy and salivating" over the brutal footage, adding that the framing of the story is "wrong."

"This really is about a system that's been designed. And it doesn't matter who you plug into that system, the outcomes will be the same," he said.

RowVaughn Wells Makes Tearful Tribute to Her Son

The mother of Tyre Nichols made a tearful tribute to her son Wednesday, calling him a "beautiful person," saying the events that unfolded are "unimaginable."

"I promise you the only thing that's keeping me going is the fact that I truly believe my son was sent here on an assignment from God," RowVaughn Wells said from the podium, in tears.

"And I guess now, his assignment is done and he's been taken home."

She then thanked community activists for supporting her family as well as Memphis Chief of Police Cerelyn J. Davis for her swift action.

Ben Crump Delivers Call to Action

During Tyre Nichols' funeral, civil rights attorney Ben Crump delivered a call to action.

He began by saying that Texas Representative Shelia Jackson Lee will be reintroducing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in Congress after the State of the Union address next week.

She will also add the Tyre Nichols Duty to Intervene amendment to the bill, Crump said.

Representative Jackson Lee was in attendance for Nichols' funeral. Crump thanked the local activists who brought national attention to Nichols' case.

At the podium, Crump said this is a plea for justice, adding the officers who beat Nichols did not see Nichols' humanity.

"We are human beings worthy of respect and justice," he said.

Crump told Nichols' parents that while he can't bring their son back, he will establish his legacy.

He reiterated that the way the Memphis Police handled this incident should be the blueprint for officer-involved killings going forward.

Crump applauded the Memphis Police Department and district attorney's office for taking swift justice by firing and charging the officers involved.

"No more can they ever tell us when we have evidence on video of them brutalizing us that it's going to take six years, that it's going to take a month, that it's going to take three years, like Laquan McDonald," he said. "Twenty days. We're going to start counting. We can count to 20 and every time you kill one of us on video, we're going to say the legacy of Tyre Nichols is that we have equal justice swiftly."

He also acknowledged the mother of Breonna Taylor who was in attendance, who noted that her daughter and Nichols were born on the same day, June 6, 1993.

Sharpton Calls for Equal, Fair Treatment

Reverend Al Sharpton gave the eulogy before the crowd gathered at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church for Tyre Nichols' funeral Wednesday.

During his remarks, Sharpton called for equal and fair treatment, and urged members of Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

"We're not asking for nothing special, we're asking to be treated equal and to be treated fair," Sharpton said. "And just like they marched and boycotted and went to jail for nine years from the '55 Montgomery Bus Boycott to the '64 Civil Rights Act, we're gonna pay the same dues to get this George Floyd Justice in Policing Act."

Sharpton said those who support the legislation "don't care how long" it will take to pass it.

"Those of you that keep voting against that bill, we're going to vote against you," Sharpton said. "We got more numbers than the police."

Kamala Harris Hugs Nichols' Family

Vice President Kamala Harris has arrived at Tyre Nichols' funeral.

Harris entered the church and immediately greeted Nichols' family. She then sat with them in the front row for the rest of the service.

As Rev. Al Sharpton began his eulogy, he asked Harris to come up to share a few words.

Harris thanked Sharpton for his leadership and and commended Nichols' parents for their "extraordinary" strength, courage and grace.

"We mourn with you, the people of our country mourn with you," she said.

"Mothers around the world, when their babies are born, pray to God when they hold that child that that body and that life will be safe for rest of his life," she said. "Yet we have a mother and father mourning the life of a young man who should be here today."

Harris noted that Nichols' child no longer has a father and his brothers and sister lost "the love of growing old with baby brother."

"When we look at this situation, this is a family that lost their son and their brother through an act of violence at the hands and feet of people who had been charged with keeping them safe," she said.

Harris called the incident a "violent act" that was "not in the pursuit of public safety."

"Was [Nichols] not entitled to the right to be safe?" she asked.

The vice president closed her brief remarks by calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act, noting that President Joe Biden "will sign it."

"We should not delay, we will not be denied. It is non-negotiable," Harris said.

Mother of Jalen Randle Dedicates Song to Nichols' Mom

The mother of Jalen Randle, who was fatally shot by police in Houston last year, spoke at the funeral of Tyre Nichols.

Tiffany Rachal expressed her sympathies and condolences for Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells.

"I pray that God heals your broken heart," she said. "We are fighting together and all the mothers all over the world need to come together and stop all of this."

Rachal then sang "Total Praise" by Grammy-winning gospel artist Richard Smallwood as the choir played. She dedicated the song to Wells.

Nichols' Parents, Family Attorney Arrive

The funeral for Tyre Nichols is underway. Here is a look at the arrival of his family and his family's attorney Wednesday afternoon.

Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney representing Nichols' family, arrived ahead of the service.

Nichols' parents, RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, walked into the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church with Crump.

As the family arrived, so did flowers for the service.

Outside of the church, signs were placed honoring Nichols and calling for justice.

Harris Has Landed in Memphis

Vice President Kamala Harris landed in Memphis Wednesday afternoon to attend the funeral service for Tyre Nichols.

Video shared on Twitter by Harris' press secretary, Kirsten Allen, showed the Vice President disembarking from Air Force 2 at Memphis International Airport.

As Harris arrived, she was greeted by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowery, Allen said.

Service Now Underway

The funeral service for Tyre Nichols is beginning at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee, following an earlier delay attributed to inclement weather conditions.

The service is streaming live on the church's YouTube page, or watch below:

The funeral program says the service will begin with a procession and musical selection, after which there will be prayers and readings from the Old Testament and New Testament.

Rev. Dr. J. Lawrence Turner will then introduce Rev. Al Sharpton, who will deliver the eulogy. Ben Crump, an attorney representing Nichols' family, is expected to deliver a "call for justice" after Sharpton speaks.

After Crump addresses people in attendance, members of Nichols' family will have an opportunity to do the same as they share some of their memories of Nichols.

Vigil Honoring Nichols Planned in Rochester

A vigil for Tyre Nichols' will be held in Rochester, New York Wednesday night, following his funeral in Tennessee.

The vigil at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park will be hosted by local activist groups, including Free The People Roc, Greater Rochester NY Black Agenda Group and Community Justice Initiative.

It will begin at 7 p.m. ET in Daniel Prude Square.

"Tyre Nichols should still be alive today. Join us for a community vigil remembering Tyre and all victims of police brutality," the organization said in a Facebook event for the vigil.

City to Publicly Release Full Video, Audio

The City of Memphis said it plans to release the full video and audio recordings from Tyre Nichols' January 7 encounter with police once an administrative investigation has been completed.

The investigation is expected to conclude "in the next few weeks," the city said in a statement attributed to City of Memphis Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Sink.

Officials have received requests for the full video and audio recordings since body camera footage from the incident was released last week. But Memphis officials are still in the process of investigating other people in connection with the incident, Sink said, adding that a "premature release of the video and audio could compromise our administrative investigation."

Though the public has not yet seen the full video, city officials said Nichols' family and family attorneys have viewed and listened to the recordings in full.

"We request the public's patience while we complete our investigation," Sink said.

VP Harris Delayed Due to Weather

Vice President Kamala Harris' short trip to Tennessee for Tyre Nichols' funeral is delayed because of inclement weather in both Washington, D.C. and Memphis, according to the White House.

An unnamed White House official told reporters traveling with Harris about the delays. The official also said the standard Air Force 2 plane typically used by the Vice President "was unavailable due to the short scheduling nature of this trip."

Harris was invited to attend the funeral on Tuesday after speaking with Nichols' parents.

Harris' Wednesday schedule released by the White House said she was initially slated to depart Washington, D.C. at 10:55 a.m. ET and expected to arrive in Memphis at 12:05 p.m. CT. Reporters traveling with Harris said Air Force 2 began moving at about 11:02 a.m. ET, a few minutes behind schedule, with the exact timing of its departure not immediately known.

Three EMTs Fired Following Internal Investigation

Three Memphis EMTs who responded to Tyre Nichols' beating were fired Monday following an internal investigation, according to the Memphis Fire Department.

Robert Long, JaMichael Sandridge and Lt. Michelle Whitaker violated "numerous" MFD policies and protocols when they responded to the incident on Jan. 7, the fire department said in a statement.

The MFD investigation concluded that the EMTs responded to a call of a person pepper sprayed and information they were told on the scene. But they "failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment" of Nichols.

First responders arrived on the scene where Nichols was handcuffed on the ground at approximately 8:41 p.m. They requested an ambulance at 8:55 p.m. after their initial patient assessment. The EMTs initiated patient care and transported Nichols to the hospital at 9:08 p.m.

"Their actions or inaction on the scene that night do not meet the expectations of the Memphis Fire Department and are not reflective of the outstanding service the men and women of the Memphis Fire Department provide daily in our community," the department said in a statement.

This comes after officer Preston Hemphill was relieved of his duties following the incident "pending the outcome of the administration investigation," the Memphis Police Department said. Five other officers have been fired and charged with second-degree murder in relation to the incident.

An unknown seventh officer has also been disciplined in connection with Nichols' death, officers said.

VP Harris, George Floyd's Brother to Attend

Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, is one of the many special guests expected to attend the funeral service for Tyre Nichols on Wednesday in Memphis, Tennessee.

Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor, will also attend, according to a media advisory from Ben Crump, who is representing Nichols' family.

Crump's office said earlier this week that Vice President Kamala Harris has also been invited to attend the funeral. Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, and his stepfather, Rodney Wells, spoke with Harris by phone on Tuesday about Nichols' death. Harris "was able to console Ms. Wells and even help her smile," Crump's office said in a statement released after the call. Nichols' parents then extended an invitation to Harris, who accepted.

Harris' office said the vice president is expected to arrive in Memphis at about noon local time. She will then attend the funeral, which is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. CT. The service was delayed a few hours due to inclement weather in the area.

Crump's office said he will be delivering a "call to action" at the service. The eulogy will be delivered by Reverend Al Sharpton.