Footage of the assault released by police shows the officer, Demetrius Haley, shining a flashlight at the bloodied and semi-sedated Nichols as he appears to take a picture with his cell phone. He then appears to assess the result and then takes a second photo. The police documents state that Haley admitted to sharing a photo, the American newspaper said.
Nichols was stopped for a traffic check after a chase. Five officers punched and kicked him for several minutes. He was also tasered. According to his lawyer, Nichols was mutilated beyond recognition. The images of the assault led to fierce protests against police brutality.
The five officers, also black, have been fired and charged with misconduct, suffocation, kidnapping, excessive force and second-category murder. The latter is one of the most serious crimes in the state of Tennessee. It is not premeditated murder, which is punishable by death, but it is more serious than manslaughter and is punishable by up to 60 years in prison.
The special police unit of which the officers belonged, called Scorpion, has been disbanded as a result of the violent incident.