Kamala Harris to attend Tire Nichols’ funeral

CNN —

In keeping with a White Home official, Vice President Kamala Harris will attend Tire Nichols’ funeral in Memphis on Wednesday and be a part of different senior officers within the Biden administration on the service.

Harris spoke on the cellphone with Nichols’ mom and stepfather RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells on Tuesday morning, the official mentioned.

“The Vice President expressed her heartfelt condolences and provided assist to the household as they proceed to navigate this difficult time,” the official added.

Harris attends on the invitation of the Wells household. Keisha Lance Bottoms, director of the Workplace of Public Engagement on the White Home, and Mitch Landrieu, senior adviser to the President, may also be in attendance.

Harris’ contact with Nichols’ dad and mom comes after President Joe Biden spoke to the Wells household on Friday, hours earlier than Memphis officers launched video of Nichols being crushed by law enforcement officials.

The administration’s attendance on the funeral will come as prospects for federal legislative reforms on policing, which the Wells household has been pushing for, seem slim.

Town of Memphis Friday night time launched a physique digicam and surveillance video of the Jan. 7 visitors delay and the beating that resulted within the 29-year-old’s dying from his accidents three days later at an area hospital. The discharge got here a day after 5 Memphis law enforcement officials, who’re additionally black and who had been fired, had been charged with homicide.

Nichols might be seen on video screaming for his mom as Memphis cops punched him a number of instances – together with within the face whereas his arms had been held, CNN beforehand reported. Though paramedics arrived minutes after officers dispatched, Nichols seems to be left unassisted on the sidewalk for a while earlier than an ambulance arrives.

The footage prompted shocked reactions from legislation enforcement specialists and outrage from officers like Biden, who mentioned it was “one other painful reminder of the deep concern and trauma, ache and exhaustion that black and brown Individuals expertise every single day.”

In her personal assertion on Friday, Harris mentioned: “Tyre Nichols ought to have made it dwelling to his household. And but America mourns as soon as once more the lives of a son and father brutally ended by the hands of those that swore to guard and serve them.”

She added, “The continued drawback of police misconduct and the usage of extreme drive in America should finish now.”

Harris’ attendance on the funeral comes after it was introduced that Nichols’ dad and mom will attend the President’s State of the Union handle on February 7.

Vincent Evans, government director of the Congressional Black Caucus, tweeted Sunday that the caucus chair, Democratic Consultant Steven Horsford of Nevada, had invited Nichols’ dad and mom to Washington as company of the caucus and that they accepted the invitation.

Biden faces renewed calls to debate police reform as he speaks to Congress. Horsford mentioned in an announcement Sunday that the CBC is requesting a gathering on the White Home this week to push for negotiations.

This story has been up to date with further particulars.

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