A City Still Reeling from the Murder of Tyre Nichols
(HKR-05-07-25) In a powerful episode of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D spoke with Jennifer Cain of Black Lives Matter Grassroots Memphis to unpack the recent acquittal of three officers involved in the 2023 beating and death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols.
“All five of them beat him senseless into death,” said Davey D. While the federal government secured convictions early on, a separate state trial resulted in acquittals, reopening wounds and fueling frustration across Memphis and beyond.
“We Knew It Was a Cover-Up”
Cain didn’t hold back. “We all knew it was a cover-up from the get-go,” she said. The Memphis Police Department only began responding transparently after the Nichols family released graphic photos of his injuries. What followed, Cain explained, was a pattern familiar to many residents—police violence hidden behind renamed units like the “Scorpion Unit,” formerly known as “Blue Crush.”
“They just change the name, but it’s the same thing,” she said.
Black Faces in High Places Isn’t the Solution
Despite Memphis being a predominantly Black city with Black leadership—including a Black police chief—Cain questioned the assumption that representation leads to reform. “If you ever wanted to know the true definition of a house negro, come to Memphis,” she said.
She expressed disappointment that those in power “wound up being supportive of the power structure,” even when faced with undeniable injustice.
The System Isn’t Broken—It Was Built This Way
Cain argued that the legal system isn’t flawed; it’s functioning exactly as designed. The acquittals came after the trial was moved out of Shelby County to a predominantly white area, which she predicted would lead to not-guilty verdicts.
“The Klan originated in Tennessee,” she reminded listeners. “What else do you need to see that this system isn’t for us?”
Claiborne Temple Burns and More Injustice Ignored
Adding to the pain, Cain noted that the historic Claiborne Temple—where Dr. King once spoke during the 1968 sanitation workers’ strike—was recently destroyed by fire. “It’s still under investigation,” she said, but lamented the lack of national attention.
She also warned that countless cases like Tyre Nichols’ remain buried and unreported in Memphis. “His case got exposure because of a picture. What about the others?”
Fighting Back with Unity and Economic Power
Rather than despair, Cain called for organized resistance. “We don’t need their table—we bring our own,” she said. Drawing from the legacy of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street, she urged listeners to recognize the power of economic self-determination.
“If our dollar controls them, imagine what we can do if it stays in our community,” she added.
A Warning and a Charge: Get Involved or Get Left Behind
Cain didn’t mince words about where we stand in 2025: “We’re not in 2025—we’re back in the 1950s.” With rising white supremacist activity, violent policing, and lawmakers passing bills to criminalize protest, she urged the public to get involved with grassroots organizations like BLM Grassroots and to support local efforts.
“People need to get out of their house and be out there in the street,” she said. “This is the time for us to come together.”
Leave a Reply