The Tyre Nichols Case: When the Badge Is Black but the Violence Feels the Same

Nylah Says
May 7
3 min read

We need to talk.Because the Tyre Nichols case? It’s not just tragic — it’s complicated, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s exposing a truth that many people are too scared to say out loud:

Not every injustice wears a white face.

By now, most of us have seen the footage.Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was brutally beaten by five Black officers during a traffic stop in Memphis, Tennessee. The incident happened on January 7, 2023, and Nichols died in the hospital three days later from the injuries.

Let me repeat that for the folks in the back:Five Black cops beat a Black man to death.

The Details They Don’t Want You to Sit With

These weren’t just any cops. These were members of a specialized “Scorpion Unit” — a so-called elite task force meant to reduce violent crime.What they did instead?Pulled over Tyre, dragged him out of his car like a criminal, pepper-sprayed him, tased him, chased him, and then beat him so viciously that he was left unrecognizable.

And all while Tyre — a father, skateboarder, FedEx worker, and amateur photographer — screamed for his mother.

The five officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith — were all fired, indicted for second-degree murder, and face a slew of other charges. A sixth officer, Preston Hemphill (who is white), was involved in the initial stop but not the physical assault — and was also fired.

Public reaction?Outrage, yes. But also confusion. Because this didn’t fit the “easy narrative” a lot of folks are used to.There was no Derek Chauvin. No white face to pin this on.This time, the call was coming from inside the house.

Let’s Get Real: This Ain’t Just a Race Issue — It’s a Dirty Cop Issue

Let’s be very clear.This is not about betraying the movement or denying systemic racism.But we need to tell the truth even when it’s messy.

Because what this case proves is that you can put Black faces in power —but if the system is still violent, unaccountable, and trained to see Black men as threats ,you’re just putting Black faces in white roles.

You can be Black and still uphold white supremacy.

You can be Black and still be a dirty cop. You can be Black — and still be a danger to your own people.

And no, that’s not an excuse for racist policing.But it is a call for us to look deeper than skin color and stop playing the race card when the deck is rigged all the way around.

Why Were They So Comfortable Beating One of Their Own?

This is the part that really stings. Because it’s not just what they did — it’s how they did it. With the camera rolling. With no hesitation. Like they didn’t expect consequences. Like Tyre was disposable. Like he wasn’t even human.

And that brings up another hard truth:

Sometimes, we value other people more than we value our own.

We’ll bend over backwards at work for the white boss. We’ll play nice for white neighbors.

But when it comes to each other? We go full savage. Quick to disrespect. Quick to destroy.

Whether it’s internalized oppression, lack of accountability, or a cultural conditioning that says “we’re not worth protecting,”the result is the same: Another Black man dead. Another mother grieving. Another reason to say, “Damn, not again