The ex-officer pleaded guilty to two felony counts, becoming the first to admit culpability in the fatal beating of Mr. Nichols. As part of a plea deal, he is also expected to cooperate with a state murder prosecution.
The former Memphis officers, who already pleaded not guilty to state charges of second-degree murder, face new charges of civil rights offenses and witness tampering.
Medical examiners formally declared his death a homicide, describing severe blunt force injuries to his head and neck as well as bruises and cuts all over his body.
Four of the Memphis police officers charged with second-degree murder in Mr. Nichols’s death should never again work in law enforcement in the state, an oversight agency says.
Vehicle seizures have been used to combat street racing and other crimes, but critics say that even people not convicted of a crime have been left for months without their cars.