In response to the death of Tyre Nichols — the young Black man who was beaten to death by five Memphis police officers last month — the Springfield chapter of the NAACP hosted a panel discussion about police brutality Sunday evening at the Pitts Chapel United Methodist Church.
About 200 people packed into the historic Black church in downtown Springfield and later stepped outside for a candle-lit vigil for Nichols.
Nichols, 29, who lived with his mom and stepdad, somehow slipped away from police after he was pulled over, dragged from his car and hit with a stun gun, the AP reported. Nichols was caught again a few minutes later near his home and beaten by the officers. In a police body cam video, Nichols can be heard screaming, “Mom! Mom!”
Nichols died three days later at a hospital.
Before introducing the panel, NAACP Springfield President Kai Sutton asked attendees to raise their hands if they’ve had “the talk” with their children.
“Not the birds and the bees talk,” Sutton said, “but the ‘please make sure you make it home today’ talk. What do you say to your children during this conversation?
“My only son, who is 14 years old, although he is taught to always do what is right, always obey the law and to always be kind to others,” she continued, “he is also taught what to do when he is ever pulled over by police.”
Moderator Dr. Kyler Sherman Wilkins asked the panel of seven Black men how they feel about Nichols’ death.
“Angry,” said Brandon Dye. “I really just don’t understand why people have that anger inside them.”
“I am overwhelmingly not surprised,” said Justin Houston, adding he also felt very tired.
H. Wes Pratt, who recently retired as chief diversity officer/assistant to the president at Missouri State University, was among the panel speakers.
“I don’t feel well,” Pratt said. “In light of Memphis, in light of the United States of America, in light of being 72 years old in America and all I’ve ever known was a lack of dignity and respect afforded to all citizens, regardless of the fact that they may be different, by law enforcement — I’m angry. I’m sad. I’m hurt.”
Pratt said he looked around the room and saw several people who would remember the death of Michael Dunlap. Dunlap was shot and killed by a reserve Springfield police officer in 1971.
Quan Bilberry said he was enraged, but not surprised by the death of another Black man at the hands of law enforcement.
“It’s something that has been happening for so long, that it’s like, when is it going to stop? When is it going to change? It looks as though there is no end in sight,” Bilberry said. “It’s disheartening when the people you look to for protection are the ones who will do you the most harm.”
The panel also included Dr. Lyle Foster, owner of Big Momma’s, Pastor Roger Franklin, Justin Houston and King Lynn.
Police have said Nichols was initially pulled over for reckless driving.
Several videos of the officers beating, kicking and tasing Nichols were released to the public. In one of the videos, Nichols can be heard calling for his mother.
Foster said he is still in a period of mourning.
“When I see a grown Black man call for his momma, then I know we are in trouble. When I heard George Floyd call for his mother, it shakes me to my core,” Foster said. “I am just grieving for our young men. I’m grieving for our sons. I’m grieving for our daughters. I’m grieving for our nation because you cannot legislate humanity. We need to get our hearts right.”
“I am just grieving for our young men. I’m grieving for our sons. I’m grieving for our daughters. I’m grieving for our nation because you cannot legislate humanity. We need to get our hearts right.”
Dr. Lyle Foster
Moderator Wilkins asked the panelists how they viewed the “rhetoric that police need to be defunded,” when in reality, police funding has actually increased quite a bit since 2005.
“We have bi-partisan support for police reform and yet we have not seen Congress act,” Wilkins said to the panel. “What do you see as being the main barrier around taking these sensible steps to police reform?”
Lynn responded that he doesn’t support the notion of defunding police departments. He believes the problem lies with the types of individuals who are being hired to be police officers.
“At the end of the day, we need the police,” Lynn said. “I think it’s just bad apples in the police department. I don’t think it’s the whole police department, because I know good police.”
Pratt said it all comes down to one word: accountability. He went on to criticize local elected officials who do not speak out when Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training and education is equated with Critical Race Theory.
“If all you hear is DEI is Critical Race Theory, and you don’t have the power of discernment to know any better, that is what you are going to believe,” Pratt said. “But those who have been appointed and elected and put in positions have to step up and lead. They have to say to the attorney general, ‘Hell no, we are not teaching Critical Race Theory. But what we are teaching is that we will value the inclusion of every citizen, of every resident regardless of what they look like.’
“I say to city council, I say to the county commission, I say to all those elected officials or appointed officials: You have to lead,” Pratt continued. “You have to show people why we should value inclusion and diversity.”
Foster said he believes law enforcement officers are being called on to do too much — that they really shouldn’t be pulling people over for vehicle registration violations and such.
“Why are we chasing people over minor infractions and they are ending up in the morgue,” he wondered. “In the United States, you can find anybody you want to find. Find them tomorrow. Find them tonight. Find them next week. What is the urgency? If somebody starts running, let them run.”
Someone in the audience stood up and discussed the “culture of policing” and pointed out that the officers were also Black.
“Evidently, there is a problem with the culture in America of policing,” the person said.
Foster, too, spoke about this.
“Some people say, ‘Well, how did Black people do that to Black people?’” Foster said. “Even in slavery, we did stuff to each other. We had a whipping man in slavery who would whip other slaves. We had people in slavery who would tell on each other to get favors. So that brainwashing mindset is still in our midst, and we have to acknowledge that and figure out what we do now.”
The five officers were fired Jan. 20 after an internal police investigation revealed violations of police rules, including excessive use of force, and failure to intervene and render aid.
Sutton read a statement from Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams, who attended the event but did not speak.
The statement read in part: “The death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of police officers is appalling and indefensible …”
In the statement, Williams wrote there is no excuse for the actions of the five Memphis officers.
“They have betrayed their oath of office, disgraced the law enforcement profession and brought shame on officers across the nation who work selflessly each day to protect their communities,” the statement reads.
Before attendees stepped outside for the candlelight vigil, Pitts Chapel’s Rev. Tracey Wolff thanked everyone for coming.
Wolff explained the church building, which was constructed in 1911, has undergone extensive renovation in recent years. Sunday night’s panel discussion was the first public event following the construction work other than church services.
“We didn’t renovate just so we could come up here and worship on Sundays,” Wolff said. “We did this work for this reason, for the reason that all of you are here today.
“I’m proud of that. This place needs to be used like this,” she said. “Anytime anything happens in Springfield, you know you can call me. You know you can call anybody with Pitts Chapel and the answer is probably going to be yes.”
