Fox’s Lawrence Jones Says Police In Tyre Nichols Tape Were on ‘Power Trip’: ‘He Didn’t Have To Die That Night’

Fox News reporter Lawrence Jones blasted the former police officers in the Tyre Nichols body camera video, theorizing the young man only died because the officers around him were untrained, out of control, and on a “power trip.”

Video from a January 7 traffic stop involving Nichols and five former Memphis police officers was released, showing Nichols being beaten by police. Nichols died in the hospital, and the five officers involved were fired and charged with murder.

Speaking with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Friday, Jones broke down the video, accusing the officers of doing everything wrong procedurally, from using their batons incorrectly to cross-shooting tasers. Jones accused the officers of being on a “power trip,” noting they were far too excitable for a traffic stop.

Jones said:

“Sean, there are several things in this video that stood out to me. You come to the scene, out of control, out of control, you disobey police policy, you don’t just roll up on a car like that. You don’t know what the suspect could possibly have, you put yourself at risk, and then you slaughtered the suspect.

You started to spray each other with the spray because you’re not used to using it the right way. You use your taser the wrong way. You use your batons the wrong way. You didn’t restrain the suspect the right way.

I mean there is just basic police protocol. And then I just can’t get past the fact that you held the suspect up, and you beat him, you took turns, you used your batons in the wrong way. And then I just can’t help but be annoyed by the point that they fist-bumped at the end.”

Jones, who often covers crime for Fox, said all the police officers he’s spoken to have been “horrified” by the behavior of the former cops in the Nichols video. The reporter argued Nichols did not need to die and the officers were not in fear for their lives.

“So there were many layers to this, basic police protocol was broken right here, they were on a power trip, and he didn’t have to die that night,” Jones said. “He was crying out for his mom. Again, they have the right to defend themselves in the court of law, but just from a tactics standpoint, basic police protocol. Sean I started off when I was 16 years old as a police explorer, I know protocol, and they broke every rule in the book.”

Watch above via Fox News.

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