Latest / Black Girl Interrupted Podcast / Tyre Nichols Case Updates

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Tyre Nichols Case Updates · Black Girl Interrupted Podcast

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Black Girl. Y'all already know, how's your rokie. Y'all already know how
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that girl? Whoa, whoa? What's up? What's up? What's up?
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Y'all, y'all already know who it is. Y'all know it's your girl,
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ash Baby, bringing y'all another another episode of Black Girl interrupted. I
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don't know what is going on with this stream. I don't know why it
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just keeps. I don't know why I keeps doing this. But anyway,
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but your Girl is back again. This is gonna be a short episode.
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We're not doing anything long, anything big tonight. Just wanted to bring y'all
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the update in the murder trial of Tyree Nichols. Of course, for those
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that may not remember, he was the young man that was brutally beaten by
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the five black police officers in Memphis and a seat. So just wanted to
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bring y'all the updates, just kind of let y'all know what's going on with
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the case. But y'all already know how I do. Before I even get
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started doing my shows, y'all already know I have to do my mental health
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check in, so I need to make sure everyone is good. So,
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oh goodness, today is Wednesday. It is humped ay, y'all. We
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are two days away from Friday. We are almost there, y'all, So
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just just hold tight, just hold tight. I promise we gonna make it.
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I promise we gonna get there. So y'all already know I always pay
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something that's encouraging, something that's a little empowering, just something that kind of
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helped get you on your way throughout the rest of the week. So before
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we even jump into tonight's conversation, here we go. What do you do
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when it seems like suffering won't stop? What do you do when it feels
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like you're pain doesn't have a point? What does it do when it feels
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like your weakness is continue to worsen. Maybe you're taking a knockdown concerning your
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finances lately. Maybe it's with your kids, maybe with your marriage, maybe
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with your health, maybe some other arena of life. You're laying on the
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mat, gasping, and you don't know what you're gonna do. People ask
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you how you are, and you say fine, but you're not fine,
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and don't even know that. We're people. We're people, and we struggle
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and we suffer, and we bleed and we cry. And if you think
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that true strength means never showing any weakness, that I'm here to tell you
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you're wrong. You're wrong, because it's the opposite. You're gonna get depressed.
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Sometimes, you're gonna have weeks where you don't feel like eating, where
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gravity is working over time, like it's afraid of getting laid off, and
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you can barely lift your fork to your mouth, and you are going to
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have a choice. You have a choice to either give up or keep going,
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give up or get up. It's like you have to save your life.
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All that is going to be able to save it for you. So
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we have to do what we have to do, no matter what it is.
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We all struggle, if we all know what it is to her,
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we all know what it is to have pain in our heart, and you
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know what, it's okay. And that's just a part of life. As
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much as I hate some of the parts of my life, depression has dragged
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me down to in a lot of ways, I'm grateful for it because,
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yeah, it's put me in the valleys, but only to show me there's
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peaks. And yeah it's dragged me through the dark, but only to remind
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me there is light. Life is not always good. Life is not always
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rosy. Life is worth living. When you fail, try again and again
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and again, hold on to that fundamental quality of faith. Have faith,
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and on the other side of your pain is something good. I believe that
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this is your beginning, have to be your end, that just because you
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are currently here, this is your present circumstances, that life don't have to
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end for you right now. This might be a page in your life,
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It might even be a chapter in your life, but it ain't the book.
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Baby, You are not finished writing yet. So I need you to
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get busy living. Are you hearing me? I need you to get busy
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living. There is still time. As long as there's breadth in your nostros.
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As long as you can wake up in the morning, you still in
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the game. Which means if you're in the game and there's still time in
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the game, still time left in the game, you can still win the
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game. The last chapter of your story has not been written yet. The
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fact that you're here today is a testament to the fact that the devil hasn't
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been able to destroy you. You're in the darkest place in your life right
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now. You're at the darkest place in your life right now or off.
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Don't give up, don't quit You at the darkest point of your life,
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if you can just look at your situation from a different age, realize that
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you beast comfort yet. Are you in a storm? Are you just in
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between two miracles? You take those terrible events in your life and you create
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a new story of triumph. We gotta become something new. We take those
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traumas, we take that pain, and we allow it to become a part
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of who we want to be. What if I told you that there's greatness
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on the other side of your darkness, that there is joy on the other
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side of your pain. What if I told you you got everything you need
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to make it through your storm. This storm will not take you out.
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And I know you've been tired, and I know it's been hurting, and
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I know it's been lifelong, and it might be an addiction. It may
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be wondering how much longer you're gonna have a job, or when you're gonna
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get one, or when this is all gonna be over. But you're not
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gonna die in this triumph. You're gonna make it. In fact, you're
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gonna be better. I want you to look in the mirror, and I
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want you to tell yourself, I am a survive Listen to me, and
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you can get through this. I want you to speak life into that thing,
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whatever it is was frustrating you, like for real, you feel like
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I can't go through another day like this. I can't have do it,
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I can't take it. Listen to me very closely, say it with me,
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and breathe life and show whatever that thing is, whatever your circumstances are,
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say with me, I can't, I can't, I can't get through
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this. I will. I will get through this. I must let me
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say this. I always always have to encourage somebody, so I always try
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to find some of the best videos that I listen to daily that helped get
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me through the date. But I think this one here just really kind of
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hit me the hardest because I know what it's like to want to give up.
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I just had a conversation with my sister today and I was telling her,
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I said, you know, my goal for this podcast is to be
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big and be bigger than where I am, and regardless of how many people
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show up, I'm going to continue to show up for me. So I
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want I challenge everybody dig deep because everyone is born with a gift. Everyone
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has a gift. Everyone's born with a gift. But I really need you
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to dig deep, and I really need you to figure out what is your
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goal and what is your purpose in life. You know, I was just
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telling one of my co workers today, I said, you know, I'm
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blessed to be employed, but this cannot be my my all bo. I
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don't want to work in corporate America anymore. Really want my podcast to be
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my way of life. So regardless of how big and how small my accomplishments
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are, I'm still gonna celebrate regardless because the small accomplishments helped guide me and
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get me to the bigger ones. So I encourage anybody, like I said,
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find out what it is, dig deep, take time for yourself.
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You know, I'm blessed to be given a platform and to be able to
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utilize my gift to pour into people, to love on other people like they
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should be loved, you know, to be able to be very transparent with
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my journey and the things that I've been through in life. I'm blessed that
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God has kept me thus fought. I'm not gonna lie. I've had weapons
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that have formed against me, but a lot of them haven't prospered. I've
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lost, I've bounced back, I've lost again, I've bounced back. But
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just no, it's not where your start is where you're finished. So I
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always try to encourage you. I always try to push people. I always
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try to share my story because again I know what it's like, and I
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want you to know that no matter where you are, no matter where you
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are in your storm, you got this. Don't never give up, keep
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going, keep going, keep going, don't never give up. So I
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think that video that I played tonight was just really on point. It was
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on key, it was on topic. And I hope that each and every
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episode that I bring to y'all every week, I hope that's helping you in
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some kind of way. I hope that's encouraging you. I hope that's empowering
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you. I hope that's uplifting you, because we need it. With everything
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that's going on in the world right now, we need it. We need
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as much love and encouragement as we can get possibly. So I'm gonna keep
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doing what I do. I'm not gonna let anything detour me because I'm here
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to tell y'all twenty twenty four is about to get its major for me.
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We about to blow up y'all twenty twenty four. We claiming it. Whatever
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happened in twenty twenty three, were leaving it in twenty twenty three, because
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I'm here to tell you twenty twenty four, baby, the bomb is gonna
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be real. No matter how much we lost into it in twenty three,
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we about to get it tenfold into ay twenty four. So I just want
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to encourage somebody. I just want to love on somebody. I just want
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to pour into somebody. And y'all know I do that before each and every
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episode. I always it's imperative that I do a mental health check in.
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Even if I do it at the end, I need to make sure y'all
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are good mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. Whatever it is that y'all
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need me to do. If y'all need me to pray for you, if
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you need to talk, if we need to laugh or we need to cry,
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that's what I'm here for. That's the gift that God blessed me with.
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So I love y'all again. It's Wednesday, Happy Wednesday. It is
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hump day, baby. We are two days away from the weekend. Yes,
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oh, I'm so happy. I promise, I'm so happy. But
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I want to jump into tonight's topic. Like I said, it's not gonna
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be long. Hey, sister, that got my call. Wait, I
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think I got it right now, there we go. There we go,
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Baby, I got it. Oh well maybe I don't know. Okay,
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there we go. Now I got a whole lot of heart. But I
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love you more, big Sis. I promise you and thank you so much
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for the conversation. Thank you for always being my ear. Thank you for
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always being my shoulder. Thank you for getting me together when I be falling,
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when I be slipping. I appreciate it, I promise you, and
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thank you for the beautiful and continuous support. I just I love the way
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you pour into me. I love the way you encourage me. I love
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that even when you fit, when you see that I'm falling, you're coming.
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You pick me back up and you'll put me back on my feet.
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So I appreciate you for that. I love you for that. I'm grateful.
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All right, So enough of the mushit talk. Let's get into tonight's
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topic. Like I said, tonight's show is not going to be very long
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just wanted to bring y'all the updates with regards to uh, Tyrie Nippoles.
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Again, Tyrie Nichols was the twenty nine was he twenty nine? Oh y'all
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hold up, don't even give me look, Yeah, twenty nine who was
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beaten for a period of three to five minutes by five black Memphis police officers
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back in January of twenty twenty three. There has been some updates with regards
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to this case. First and foremost, I want to start off with,
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there have been federal charges. Federal charges have been filed in violation of Tyree
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nicholas constitutional rights. So, federal charges have been brought amongst the five black
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Memphis police officers that have been indicted on let me get their charges pulled back
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up, give me just one moment, y'all know normally, so they have
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been charged with second degree murder. They have been charged with aggravated assault,
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they have been charged with aggravated kidnapping while possessing a weapon, and then they've
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been charged with aggravated kidnapping causing bodily injury. Again, federal charges have now
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been filed against these five police officers for the violation of Tyree Nichols constitutional rights,
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which I feel is rightly so because they did violate him. I'm not
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showing any footage of the beating the night in January because that's just it's triggering
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and it's just a little bit too much. Anyone that wants to see it,
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you're mother welcome. You could google Tyree Nippoles on YouTube and you could
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pull up the I think I believe the videos were in total like thirty five
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minutes, but they were broken down into several parts. But I do feel
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like it is rightfully so that they did violate again his constitutional rights because he
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was pulled over for allegedly reckless driving. They said he was intoxicated, they
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say he was high. It was just all types of things that he was
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acting very erratic. But for those that have seen the footage, we did
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see the reaction of Tyree nipples. I mean, how would you feel if
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you were at a stoplight and for police cars box chewing unmarked vehicles at that
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they were part of the Scorpion Unit, which was put together by the chief
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of Police in Memphis, Tennessee. And of course for those that do are
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that are familiar with CJ. She was actually responsible for the death of a
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ninety two year old woman in Atlanta back in the early two thousands. She
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was over the task units. I can't remember the name, the Red Dolls.
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I'm so sorry, the Red Dogs. That's what it is, the
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Red Dogs. But again, federal charges have now been filed against these five
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black Memphis police officers in Memphis, so absolutely waiting to see the outcome.
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I believe the trial is tending to start in November. But there has also
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been some motions that have been filed. There has been a motion to sever
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which means one of the police officers that has been indicted feels like he should
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get a separate trial from the other four police officers. I do have some
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information for you, and let's step off up into it. Here we go.
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Today, the Justice Department informed the family of Tyree Nichols that we have
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charged five former Memphis police detectives with federal crimes in connection with the death of
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mister Nichols. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
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Kristen Clark will detail those charges shortly. On January seventh of this year,
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Tyrie Nichols was just minutes away from home when he was pulled over by law
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enforcement officers sworn to protect him. As the indictment charges, the defendants in
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this case, who at the time were serving as detectives with the Memphis Police
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Department, brutally Beatnickles. They then failed to render medical aid to mister Nichols
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and further failed to tell emergency responders that they had struck him repeatedly, even
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as his condition deteriorated and he became unresponsive. We also alleged that while mister
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Nichols lay dying in a hospital, the defendants conspired to cover up their crimes,
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including by falsely stating that mister Nichols had actively resisted arrest. Weeks after
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mister Nicholls's death, the Memphis Police Department released body camera footage of the incident.
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The country watched in horror as mister Nichols was kicked, punched, tased,
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and pepper sprayed. We all heard mister Nichols cry out for his mother
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and say, quote, I'm just trying to go home. We alleged that
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the defendants charged today wilfully deprived Tyree Nichols of his constitutional rights, and that
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their actions were resulted in his death. Tiree Nichols should be alive today.
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I want to express my deep condolences to mister nichols loved ones as they continue
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to grieve the loss of their beloved son, father, brother, grandson,
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and friend. Officers who violate the civil rights of those they are sworn to
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protect undermine public safety, which depends on the community's trust in law enforcement they
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dishonor their fellow officers who do their work with integrity every day. The Justice
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Department will continue to hold accountable officers who portray their oath. And you're going
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to absolutely tell he's reading from a teleprophther but we we just gonna carry on
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with the conversation. But again, yes, the federal charters have been filed
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against the five black Memphis police officers who have been charged with immer the brutal
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beating and the murder of Tyree Nichols. I do still continue to pray for
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the family. I pray that justice is served. I know that no time
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that will be implemented to these officers, because I really feel deeply they will
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be they will be convicted. But I do know for a fact there will
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never be enough time to constitute or equate to bring their loved one back.
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It will not justify the pain or shield the pain. But we will just
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have to sit back and we will have to wait with regards to that.
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But again, as I stated before, there was a motion that was filed
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by Justin Smith to Daris Bean and I cannot remember the other police officer that
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filed emotion to sever which, in other words, in in English terms layman
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terms, they want to be tried separately. They feel that trying to fire
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police officers together they will not get a fair trial. Let me say this,
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you did the crime together. You need to y'all need to be tried
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together. My honest, open opinion, and I'm not really familiar with with
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the laws in Memphis, but I do feel like if they are all tried
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together, you get a better chance of getting a convention versus them being tried
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separately. I did just receive an update. Give me just one moment,
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let me get back over here. This was an hour a goal. This
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was just sent to me, so y'all forgive me waiting on it to hop
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back up. I had to jump off into my internet, back into my
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email. I'm so sorry because I do communicate with people that are really closely
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following the trial. People that actually live in Memphis, that actually have access
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to the documents that they have been sending to me with regards to this case.
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I do see on Monday that a judge did deny the requests from three
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former months police officers to have several separate trials in the death of Tyree Nichols.
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So that is a good victory for the family, It says the attorneys
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representing to Daris, being Desmond Mills and Justin Mill Justin Smith, had filed
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motions asking for their cases to be severed from those of Demetrius Ailey and Emmett
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Martin on the grounds with their clients would wouldn't get a fair trial if they
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all had to face the jury together. Over the January seventh beating of Nichols,
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the judge who was overseeing this case, James Jones Junior, issued an
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order saying that severing the cases isn't necessary to protect the defendants' rights to a
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fair determination of their innocence or guilt. And then it goes on to say
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Nichols, twenty nine, died three days after he was beaten by officers,
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with the incident captured on police video So that is one victory for the Nichols
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family. And I definitely agree with the judge who says, trying you together,
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trying your separately, it's it's I believe the verdict will still come out
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the saint. Let me go back with some more information, y'all, just
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give me one moment because unfortunately I cannot show y'all this documentation for legal purposes
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and to protect the innocence of the officers and the other people that are involved
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in the case. Let me go back, give me one second because it's
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a lot of information. So y'all forgive me for this. But yes,
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but again he did that. The again says severing the cases is not required
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to protect their rights to a fair determination of their guilt or innocence. Again,
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all five former members of the Memphis Police Department Crime Crime Suppression Unit have
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all pleaded not guilty to state charges including second degree murder and aggravated kidnapping in
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the beating of Nichols, who was punched, kicked, and slugged with a
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police baton as he fled the traffic stopped, during which he was hit with
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the stun gun and pepple spray. So again, I absolutely agree with the
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judge again, whether you're tried separately, whether you're tried all together. I
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really feel like the verdict is still gonna be the same way I do in
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my in my whole, honest heart opinion. They will be found guilty,
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They will be convicted, they will be sentenced. How much time do we
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know? No, But I just want to know your thoughts. What do
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you think? Do you feel like these officers should be tried separately or do
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you feel like it should all just still be together. I you know,
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y'all did the crime together. Y'all brutally beat this man over a traffic stop.
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Over erect. I'm so sorry. Reckless driving, quote unquote, reckless
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driving. But the sad part about this is you sat there and you laughed.
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You took pictures and you sent them out to people. Then you failed
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to render aid to this man. You denied him medical attention as this man
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lied there bleeding to death, brain swollen. Because I went back and I
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read the autopsy report, this young man had. Give me one moment,
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let me go right back further autopsy. Let me go back because I had
24:59
it pulled up. But it it made me so sick to my stomach that
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I just I immediately had to close it out. So the autopsy he had
25:12
blunt forced injuries to the head, swelling and bruises on his brain, as
25:18
well as liver and kidney damage. That was the autopsy report. You beat
25:26
this man for three to five minutes for what And for those that watched the
25:33
video to hear this young man calling out for his mother, because this happened
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feets away from his front door. And it wasn't just a beating that made
25:51
me sick, it was how they handled it. Afterwards. You came in
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and knocked on this mother's door and asked, do you have a son named
26:04
Tyrene Nichols. Mother said, yes, yes I do. Uh he's he's
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on his way to the hospital. He was he was under he was intoxicated,
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he was acting erratic, and after we leave the hospital, he's going
26:22
to jail. So, as you know, I watched the interview with the
26:29
mother and the mother says, that wasn't like my son, and why you
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know, well, can I can I can I go see him at the
26:40
hospital. They said no, because he's going to he's he's in custody,
26:44
he's been reprimanded. This is what they tell the mother. So soon after,
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the mother receives a call from the hospital from the doctors, one of
26:55
the doctors that said, you need to get here today, this hospital.
27:00
Now, you need to get to this hospital. Now. Your son has
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been brutally beaten. So, as the mother of a black boy listening to
27:23
this mother talking and share and what happened, my heart immediately dropped to the
27:33
bottom of my stomach because I said, my son drives at night. You
27:37
know, he has to go to work, he has to come home.
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What can I do to prevent this? I know I can't protect my son
27:52
from the world, but I could do whatever it is I need to do
27:56
to keep him protecting. And it just took me back to when Trayvon Martin
28:06
was killed. It took me back to when Sean Bell was killed, when
28:11
Oscar Grant was killed. Because I have a black son, and then I
28:17
think about my two black daughters. I have a Sandra Bland, I have
28:22
a Taitana Jefferson, I have a Brianna Taylor. Everyone has had a Catherine
28:32
Johnston and their family. That was a ninety two year old woman that was
28:34
killed in Atlanta, And I think, what can what can I do?
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It as a better as a mother. What can I do better as as
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a parent? What can I do better as as a person to keep my
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children protected? And I pray every night when my son has to leave to
28:57
go to work. And I pray every time my son comes home. Every
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night that I talk to my son, I take calling, let me know
29:07
you made it to your destination safe, calling, Let me know you made
29:08
it home okay. And the saddest part about all this is I have to
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sit down and I have to have these conversations with my son and my daughters.
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Well not the baby girl because the baby girl doesn't go anywhere, but
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my two oldest my oldest son and my oldest daughter. I have to say
29:23
down and I have to have this conversation with them. Please do this,
29:26
Please don't do that. Please if they tell you, just please do what
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they just. I beg because you hear these mothers that talk about the loss
29:37
of their children due to police brutality. You feel weak, you feel helpless.
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What can we do? But I pray and I ask God every day,
29:51
just keep my children in cover. Just please allow my children to come
29:52
home safe. To me. Every day I pray for the people that you
29:59
know that are not relatives. I pray for every black man, I pray
30:03
for every black woman. I pray for you every time you leave your home,
30:08
that you make it back to your family. Say, but this Tyree
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Nichols case just I don't know what it is about this case, but it
30:21
just really truly has me in a choke hold. And I think, and
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I don't know if it's because this was five black police saucers that did this
30:29
to another black man, or the fact that they brutalize this man for three
30:33
to five minutes and then you denied medical attention to him, I believe for
30:37
seventeen minutes, and it's just happened feets away from his home and on the
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video you hear him calling his mom, Mom, Mom, Man, you
30:48
know what do you do? How do we handle this again? Tyrene Nichols
31:00
twenty nine years old, A father, a brother, a son taken away
31:07
from us so brutally in the most tragic way you could ever ever imagined over
31:15
a traffic stop. And then I've had I've had conversations with people with regards
31:22
to this case, and I've heard people say, well, he should have
31:25
he should have just complied. Orlando castile complied and still lost his life.
31:34
So if you're damned if you do, You're damned if you don't stop telling
31:41
us to comply, Tell the police officers to stop brutalizing our black men and
31:48
our black women, because if you don't comply, you die. If you
31:55
comply, you still die. I don't like how they victor, how they
32:04
portray the victims as, oh, they were villains. No, Tyrie Nichols
32:10
was on his way home. I could understand the fear. I could understand
32:15
why he was afraid. Look at all these police brutality cases that we encounter
32:21
every day. We see this every day. There's another one that just happened
32:25
last week that I'm gonna be addressing next week. So we fear. We're
32:36
afraid every time we get pulled over by the police because we don't know are
32:39
we going home? Are we leaving in a body bed? Because we're seeing
32:46
this far too often. Sean bell oscar Grant, Orlando Castille, Alton Sterling.
32:58
The list goes on and on and on and on. When is this
33:05
gonna end? When are we gonna start holding these police officers accountable for their
33:12
actions? Yes, we saw it in the trial of George Floyd, but
33:19
unfortunately we didn't get the same justice for Dante Wright. We see this over
33:29
and over and over and over again. It's very disheartening. It's very troubling.
33:37
It's very disturbing that we have to sit and have these conversations with our
33:42
children on how to conduct themselves. If you ever get pulled over by the
33:45
police, I remember you used to get pulled over, You got a ticket,
33:50
and you went on about your way. Now it's am I gonna die?
33:58
Or am I gonna be able to go home? Are they gonna beat
34:00
me? Are they gonna take me? What's gonna happen? This is definitely
34:07
post traumatic stress syndrome for black men and black women every time a police officer
34:12
gets behind you. Because we don't know, we don't know the outcome,
34:16
because we've seen the outcome of these other cases, a lot of them don't
34:22
make it home. And again, we only make a fourteen percent of the
34:29
population. We only make a fourteen percent of the population. So if that
34:37
is in the top five leading causes of death for black men and black women,
34:42
we're at the bottom of the totem pole. I get it. We're
34:49
tired of hearing about it. I know y'all are tired of talking about it,
34:52
but guess what if I don't keep talking about it, It's just gonna
34:55
get swept under the rug. One of my friends on my Facebook friends list
35:02
lost his step son to the Memphis Police Department and they still have got no
35:09
answers none. But in this case of Tyrie Nichols, I pray justice to
35:21
serve for this family. I prayed it. Not only are they indicted criminally,
35:24
but federally. You need to go serve some time because what the conduct
35:31
of those five police officers that night of January seventh should never have happened.
35:37
It never should have happened, absolutely should not have happened. Tyrie Nichols should
35:45
still be here with us today. Tyree Nichols should still be here with his
35:47
son. He still should be with his family, his mother, his father,
35:52
his sister. So what happened on the night of January wherever seven of
36:00
twenty twenty three never should have occurred to these police officers. There's gonna be
36:07
a high place in hell waiting for you when you get there. I pray
36:12
that every weapon formed against you prospers, because again, what happened January seventh
36:20
to Tyrie Nichols. Never should have occurred. It never should have happened.
36:28
With regards to the federal case, here's a little more information. Again,
36:31
I'm gonna keep your guys updated. And then the loop. Oh I have
36:35
a comment. Oh, I'm so sorry, heybo, I love you,
36:39
Thank you for tuning in and supporting me. I finally got my fingers together,
36:43
y'all. I got my little heart together. I love y'all. But
36:46
here we go. Here's some more information with regards to the federal charges against
36:53
the five police officers indicted in the murder of Tyree Nichols or Memphis police officers
37:00
involved in the beating death of Tyrie Nichols are now facing federal charges for violating
37:05
the civil rights. Nichols died three days after he was beaten by police during
37:08
a January traffic stop. Earlier this year, the officers all pleaded not guilty
37:13
to state charges of second degree murder. For more on this, I'm joined
37:16
by CBS News Chief National Affairs and Justice correspondent Jeff Bygay's Jeff, good to
37:22
see you tell us about these charges in this indictment. Well, this blad
37:28
adds to the federal charges or the state charges that have already been leveled against
37:34
these five officers. This is a federal case. Four counts and accounts include
37:44
obstruction, contri essentially contributing to a police report that did not tell an accurate
37:52
story of what happened that day last January, and then also using excessive four
37:59
say and other counts on top of that. With all these counts, these
38:04
five former officers could be sent to prison for decades. So these are of
38:12
course serious charges. There are civil rights charges from the Department of Justice,
38:16
and what we've seen over time with the Department of Justice under A. G.
38:23
Garland is that these are the kinds of charges that they bring against police
38:30
officers who are accused of or alleged to have committed acts that are excessive force.
38:39
And so this is another tool the Department of Justice has been using to
38:45
root out allegedly bad cops. So then what happens next. What's the timeline
38:52
going to look like for a case like this, It's a whole bunch of
38:55
court dates which will come and then of course they have the court dates and
39:00
the state charges that they face. So this is going to drag out.
39:06
But what is also important to mention is that these five officers were part of
39:13
what was called the Scorpion Union Unit. This was a unit that was created
39:19
to help bring down crime in Memphis. Memphis has had a problem over the
39:22
last several years with rising crime. But what prosecutors are alleging here is that
39:30
these officers went too far, they used excessive force, and that they tried
39:35
to conspire to cover up what they had allegedly done, according to prosecutors,
39:42
So there are going to be a lot of court cases for these five officers
39:46
going forward, as you mentioned, and the state charges they pleaded not guilty
39:51
in this federal case. They are claiming their innocence and now they're going to
39:57
have to go to court to prove it. So, Jeff, just for
40:01
our viewers to understand clearly, how different is the state charge than the how
40:07
different is it from the state charges the officers already face. These are civil
40:13
rights violations, according to the Department of Justice, which will result if there's
40:21
a conviction in tougher penalties, longer prison sentences. And so this is a
40:30
tool, as I mentioned, the Department of Justices, according to some of
40:34
the statistics we've seen, used about one hundred times. They've had eighty five
40:39
convictions, so they have a pretty good record improving their cases, and they
40:45
feel like they have a pretty good case in this one because of that disturbing
40:50
video where you see the five officers pounding, kicking, tiring Nichols, a
40:59
twenty nine year old man who, according to initial reports, was fighting back.
41:06
But then that video came out and you're getting clearly see in the video
41:09
that he's not fighting back, that he's being pummeled by these officers, and
41:14
so federal investigators believe they have a strong case. We'll see where it goes,
41:21
you will, Jeff, Thank you very much. M mm hm hmm.
41:30
The family has also filed a five hundred million dollar lawsuit against the City
41:36
of Memphis. I know emotion has been filed. City of Memphis wants to
41:40
be removed from the lawsuit, and the lawsuit has been filed on behalf of
41:45
the family of Tyree Nichols as well as the estate of Tyree Nichols. So
41:52
we'll see how that motion turns out. Again. City of Memphis has filed
41:57
the motion to be removed from this lawsuit that the family has filed in regard
42:01
with regards to the murder of Tyrane Nichols with the beating death of Tyree Nichols.
42:07
So I'm praying you know that the family gets their due, that you
42:13
know, the due diligence is done. I am definitely praying that justice is
42:17
given to the family of Tyrane Nichols, especially his son. You know,
42:22
you have a little boy who will now grow up without his father, you
42:28
know who will have to endure watching the video over and over of his father
42:37
being brutally beaten at the hands of five black Memphis but five black police officers.
42:44
So definitely stay in constant prayer for the family, for the friends,
42:49
extended family of Tyrrie Nichols, because again, this never should have happened.
42:52
Tyrrie Nichols again should be here with us right now. Again, as you
42:59
know, when when all this first transpired and I was sent the video prior
43:04
to it even being released to the public, I was very sicken to see
43:12
and hear the way that they laughed and joked about beating this young man.
43:21
But I also feel like the white officer that was there, even though he
43:28
may not have been there for the initial beating you incited. So I don't
43:32
understand why charges were not brought against him because if you go back again,
43:37
y'all, I'm not showing the video. I'm not putting that out there because
43:40
it's very triggering. But you hear him say, and I'm trying to quote
43:46
it verbatim. In other words, I hope you catch him, and I
43:51
hope y'all beat his ass, basically is what he said. And they did
43:55
just that. And then the way Tyree was handled after the fact, the
44:00
fact that pictures were taken, pictures were sent to members that didn't even work
44:07
for Memphis Police. It was a couple of people that did work for the
44:10
police department that these pictures were sent to. But you ridiculed and you joked
44:15
and you laughed as you sat and watched this young man's life viciously fade away
44:23
at a beating that you caused. And then for you guys to go in
44:31
there and feel like you did nothing wrong. And then the attorneys that were
44:42
fighting with regards for this motion to sever in other words, to try these
44:50
officers individually. I'm glad the judge denied that request because regardless if you're tried
44:59
separately or together, you still participated in the brutal beating and the eventual death
45:06
of Tyree Nichols. You still contrib you were complicit, So I don't care
45:10
if you try separate. I don't care if you tried together. Justice needs
45:15
to be served. You need to be convicted, period, period, period,
45:19
period, point blank. So shout out to Judge Jones for denying that
45:24
request of those three police officers that had filed the motion to sever Again,
45:30
y'all, welcome to another episode of Black Girl Interrupted. Y'all already know it's
45:35
still your girl ass your favorite girl from the five o four, But I
45:42
just, hm, it never gets easier when I do these shows. It
45:49
never does when it comes to bringing you these updates. It's never easy,
46:00
you know. Like I said, as many of these stories and cases that
46:04
I cover that I bring to y'all weekend and week out, it never gets
46:07
easy for me. But again, this, this particular case, Tyree Nichols,
46:13
this this it really truly has me in a choco because again, I
46:19
don't know if it was how it was handled after the fact, or if
46:22
it was the fact that it was five black police officers that brutalized this young
46:27
man for no reason. You had, you had him pulled over, if
46:32
he you could have got his license plate. You could have certain something,
46:39
but y'all brutalized this man for three to five minutes. You beat him with
46:45
a baton, you kicked him in the face, you pepper sprayed him,
46:49
you stomped on him like he was a dog in the street, like he
46:53
was just a piece of trash. And then you carried it on like nothing.
47:01
You went on about your day like nothing. Then you're joked about it,
47:08
you laughed about it, You denied aid to this young man. And
47:17
then the EMTs that arrived on the scenes, y'all laughing, y'allure joke.
47:22
Y'all were talking about the Super Bowl. Really, and you have a young
47:28
man that's laying here dying, and y'all want to sit there laughing joke like
47:32
it's Super Bowl Sunday and y'all are talking about the game. I really feel
47:43
like the only way that this is gonna stop we have to start holding these
47:45
police officers accountable. I get it, they want to protect the police,
47:52
but what about us? What about the citizens? Y'all are giving an old
47:55
to protect and serve us O, y'all are not doing that. And again
48:02
I'm not saying that there's not good police officers out there, because I know
48:06
there are, but the ones that stand by and say nothing, you're just
48:12
as bad as the ones that actually come in that are actually complicit in the
48:15
crimes. So again, but Tyrene Nichols, y'all keep praying for that family.
48:25
Let's pray that justice is served. Let's pray that each and every last
48:30
police officer that winds up in the same situation. Let's pray that justice is
48:35
served. I get it, y'all. I understand there's not enough time in
48:38
the world to compensate for the loss, I know, but I want the
48:44
justice. You may can't bring my loved one back, but I need justice
48:47
for my loved one so my loved one can finally rest. And the beautiful
48:54
things that Tyree Nichols family has done, the way they keep rallying and advocating
48:59
and fighting for justice, I applaud them. I know it's difficult again watching
49:07
the interview with the mother and the mother saying they had to move out of
49:10
that house because that was too much of a reminder. Because again y'all had
49:15
to understand, this happened what seven hundred feet away from the front door,
49:22
so right there at the corner, and to be reminded. Having to pass
49:29
by that every day. I absolutely understand that is a reminder, that is
49:32
a trigger. So I get it while the mom and the dad moved away.
49:38
But I continue to pray for you. I continue to uplift you,
49:43
I continue to encourage you, and know justice will prevail. Tyree Nichols did
49:50
not die in Vain. He didn't. So Jule says, it took me
50:04
weeks to actually watch that video. That hurt my soul watching those cowards murder
50:08
that young man. My heart aches to watch his mom and dad and family
50:13
deal with the loss of a loved one. When I tell you sis,
50:16
looking at the interviews, speaking with people that are closely affiliated with this case,
50:25
they say the mother is the strongest person they've ever seen because the mother
50:34
is standing up for what's right. They said, you know, because the
50:38
family did actually get to go to court when the police officers were indicted,
50:46
and they said they saw the tremble and the shaken of the mother as she
50:57
watched these five police officers that brutalized her son walk into that courtroom with face
51:04
masks on. Now, baby, take that mask off, because you didn't
51:07
have a mask on that night when you brutalize her son. So I commend
51:17
the mother because it just as a mother, even as a parent period,
51:23
it takes a lot of strength, a lot of courage, and a lot
51:28
of restraint to have to deal with something like this. I totally get it.
51:37
I absolutely understand because I worry about that for my son every day.
51:45
Every day. The more stories that come across that I see, I immediately
51:52
go to my son and like, oh my god, I gotta protect them
51:54
something. I just don't want this to happen to my baby. So we
52:01
have to keep the mother encouraged, the family encouraged, the sister, everybody.
52:09
We have to stand in solidarity for this family because this could be you.
52:15
I could be up to telling your story. I could be up here
52:17
advocating and trying and continuing to keep your story alive. I know it.
52:27
I know it, mom. I know it's hard. And to hear her
52:30
speak so beautifully and eloquently about her son, I think that's what makes it
52:39
hurt even more, is because he's not here. Because she did say he
52:45
used to always tell her he wanted to be famous. But the mother said
52:50
she never imagined it would be like this. Imagine that as a mother and
53:00
your child telling you am going to be famous, but this is how it
53:06
turns out. H So with the federal trial, there has been a case.
53:19
I'm sorry, a trial date has been announced. Here we go and
53:23
then we're gonna go ahead and wrap up the rest of the show. Thanks
53:28
for joining us. I'm Richard Wrestling along with Pepper Baker tonight knew this hour.
53:30
We now know the federal trial date for five ex Memphis cops charged in
53:36
the death of Tyree Nichols. Today, a federal judge put May sixth on
53:39
the trial calendar for Justin Smith, emmittt Martin, Desmond Mills, Demetrius Haley,
53:44
and Tadarius Bean. They each face four federal charges, none of which
53:47
are related to the States case against them. Our seven reels is here with
53:52
the major takeaways from today's proceedings. Stephan, Thanks so much, Pepper.
53:55
Two big things were coming away today. The federal charges coming down very quickly,
54:00
less than a week from the federal indictments that were handed down earlier against
54:05
the former MPD officers. Also, if they are convicted, the death penalty
54:08
is now off the table, but the former officers could still face a life
54:13
in prison. All five of the former officers pleaded not guilty to the federal
54:16
charges. They are all out on bond under certain conditions. While judge ordered
54:22
that the five cannot talk to each other before trial, their lawyers are in
54:27
talks with the government to allow the former officers to sit next to each other
54:30
in court. Here's William Macy, who is representing em and Martin, responding
54:35
to the Spring twenty twenty four federal trial date. We have begun the process
54:40
and we'll work toward May for a triald act. I would like to see
54:45
everyone be able to talk with they other. I don't, but the lawyers
54:49
could talk with they shout the show. I guess that's the way you would
54:52
just have to be done. And Richard and Pepper, here's what's coming up
54:55
next. Both sides have until November sixth to complete their discovery process. Then
55:00
they will meet twice for report dates on November fourteenth and then on April fourth
55:05
next year, and if all goes well, the trial will begin in May
55:07
sixth, like we said earlier, and last for eight to nine days.
55:10
The five former MPD officers also face state charges, including second degree murder.
55:15
A trial date hasn't been set on either of those charges. So again,
55:22
that is the update with regards to the federal charges that have been brought down
55:28
against those police officers. Again, I will definitely keep y'all updated because I
55:32
am closely following this story. I am closely staying in connection with my people
55:38
that are highly highly highly highly attached to this this oh to this case.
55:47
Again, you guys did see the timeline, So May fourth of twenty twenty
55:52
four is when the federal trial will start again. As you guys did here,
55:58
the death penalty has been pulled off the table, but they do still
56:04
can still face life in prison. I'm gonna be honest with y'all and I
56:07
want to know your thoughts. Are you for the death penalty or do you
56:13
feel like they should get light I am gonna say I want them to have
56:19
life in prison. I think death is too easy when it comes to life
56:24
in prison. This is gonna sit on you, and this is gonna weigh
56:29
on you once those prison doors close, reality set sin. Whatever type of
56:38
justices serve you deserve, you absolutely deserve. I would love to see them
56:46
all go to prison for the rest of their lives. I would, I
56:52
really absolutely would. Again, there's no time in the world to bring that
56:55
could possibly bring Tyree Nichols back. But I want justice for this. I
57:00
also want justice for the countless other families that have had to experience, that
57:04
have experienced and have had to endure the death of their loved ones at the
57:08
hands of someone that was sworn to protect and serve. So I do hope
57:13
they get life in prison, because that's gonna haunt them, that's gonna wrap
57:17
their conscience so much. That's gonna give you time to really think about what
57:23
you did and how that split second decision you made has ruined your life and
57:30
has shattered the families of Tyrie Nickel. I'm so sorry the loved ones of
57:35
Tyrie Nichols. So I pray you get life in prison. I pray that
57:44
this haunts you for the rest of your life. I pray that every night,
57:46
when you close your eyes, you see Tyree Nichols face. I pray
57:50
that you hear his voice every night, because I want you to understand what
57:55
you've done. You have destroyed sin families, Tyree Nichols family, and your
58:05
own families at that split second decision that you made to brutally beat this young
58:12
man for three to five minutes, and then you failed to render aid to
58:15
him. And then the aftermath, you're taking pictures. You're laughing, you're
58:22
joking, you're just having a grand little time while this young man lays her
58:27
bleeding watching that video. I'm gonna be honest with y'all. I could not
58:37
get past when they hit him in the face with the baton, and when
58:44
the guy went and changed shoes and you kicked this young man in the face,
58:53
and then the fact that you turned around and you took pictures and then
58:55
you sent them out highly disrespectful. So to the family of Tyrie Nichols,
59:07
from my family to yours, we love you. We are still praying for
59:10
you, and we stand in solidarity with you and pray that justice will be
59:15
served. And just know that his death was not in vain. And that
59:22
is all I have for you tonight with regards to the update of the Tyree
59:24
Nichols case. Once I do get the information with regards to the state case,
59:31
which is the actual indictment, which is the murder trial, I will
59:34
definitely bring y'all the updates, definitely keep y'all posted. Were gonna go live,
59:39
We're gonna follow this or we're gonna keep this covered because we cannot let
59:45
Tyrie Nichols's death be in vain. We have to support the family, support
59:50
the countless of the families that again have had the experience or endure the loss
59:53
of a loved one at the hands of a police officer. So as I
1:00:02
bring this episode to a cloth baby, y'all know, I got to give
1:00:07
y'all the tea on what's coming up next for weeks. So tu again,
1:00:13
y'all know, Black Girl Interrupted goes live every Tuesday and every Wednesday night,
1:00:16
Well Tuesday night, I am going to be bringing you guys the case of
1:00:22
Stephen Clay Perkins, who was a thirty nine year old, unarmed black man
1:00:28
that was gonned down by the police indicator Alabama. Another one in my DJ
1:00:35
calivoice. Another one. I'm not gonna dive too deep into that, but
1:00:40
Stephen Clay Perkins. Then also next week, we're gonna be talking about sex
1:00:46
trafficking and what we can do took her. Tell this, we have to
1:00:54
protect that our children because we're seeing this happen far too often. But oh,
1:01:06
I got to take a deep breath on that one, because again every
1:01:09
time I bring stories like this. It just it really does something to me.
1:01:15
But if I don't bring the stories, who else will? Because again,
1:01:21
this could be your loved one that I'm sitting in it and I'm telling
1:01:23
the story about. But I also want you to know I do this to
1:01:30
help bring our community together, to help heal our community, because we need
1:01:35
it. So we have to have these real, live in depth, uncomfortable
1:01:40
conversations because this is what's happening out here in the world. If I don't,
1:01:46
if I don't bring it to the forefront, who else does. These
1:01:51
types of stories in cases get swept under the rug every day and we don't
1:01:53
know about it. We don't hear about it. Why I know y'all are
1:02:00
tired of hearing about it, but I'm tired of speaking about it. But
1:02:05
again, we as a community, we have to collect them. We come
1:02:07
together. We have to start policing our neighborhoods. We have to take the
1:02:12
streets back. We have to protect our children, we have to protect our
1:02:21
loved ones. We have to do our part as a community. But we
1:02:27
also need them to start holding these police officers accountable for these crimes that they
1:02:30
do, because these these police officers are doing this and there's no repercussions.
1:02:37
These people are losing their lives and no one's held accountable that. I really
1:02:44
feel like the only reason Derek Chauvin was held accountable is because Minnesota was under
1:02:50
scrutiny. They were ready to burn that city down. And we see this
1:02:58
time and time and time again. Videos, there's surveillance, you got the
1:03:01
footage. You see this, but they get a slap on the wrist.
1:03:07
No charges are gonna be filed, dismissed without prejudice or dismissed with prejudice.
1:03:12
We see this all the time. So I feel like the only way this
1:03:15
is gonna stop, you have to start holding these police officers accountable. We
1:03:20
have to. I feel like restitution to these parents, families, I'm so
1:03:25
sorry the families of the loved ones should come from the police officer's pension.
1:03:30
That's just my opinion. I know there's a lot of people that may disagree
1:03:32
with what I'm saying, but I really feel like that's where it should come
1:03:37
from. I feel like you should lose your pension. I don't care if
1:03:39
you're put in thirty years on the force. That split second decision made your
1:03:44
thirty years go right down the dream. That's my honest and humble opinion.
1:03:51
But again, I'm just here to report the news. I'm just here to
1:03:54
bring y'all beautiful, intelligent conversations that may get a little uncomfortable at times.
1:03:59
That's all I'm here to do. But I'm also here to love and encourage
1:04:02
and empower you along the way. So on that note, black girl interrupted,
1:04:11
it's coming to a closed baby. I told y'all this was gonna be
1:04:13
short, not nothing too big, not nothing too small. But again,
1:04:18
I definitely want to tell y'all, thank y'all so much for tuning in with
1:04:21
me every week, coming and showing me bookoo love. I appreciate it.
1:04:26
This is what keeps me going. This is why I do what I do,
1:04:30
Baby. I do it for y'all. I don't. I don't do
1:04:31
it just for me, but I do it for y'all too. And I
1:04:34
appreciate the love. I appreciate the way y'all come and support. I appreciate
1:04:39
the way you guys coming in and act in the conversations. I love to
1:04:42
hear your opinions. I love to hear your thoughts, whether we agree,
1:04:45
whether we disagree. I love it and I love the fact that we all
1:04:48
stay respectful because y'all know, baby, disrespect is never tolerated on my show.
1:04:53
Y'all know that. But again, catch Black Girl Interrupted next Tuesday night,
1:04:59
eight thirty pm Cent Time, nine thirty Eastern Time. I stream live
1:05:01
on Facebook as well as YouTube. You can always catch any of the past
1:05:05
episodes on anywhere that you stream your podcast, whether it's Apple, whether it's
1:05:10
Google, whether it's Spotify, Baby, whether it's Amazon Music. iHeart Baby.
1:05:15
That's where Black Girl Interrupt the podcast is. That's why I'm at at
1:05:17
all times. Again, before I close, I'm just gonna wait. I'm
1:05:24
not gonna even tell Y'all'm gonna wait till I'm gonna wait till it goes through,
1:05:28
and then I'll give y'all the good news. But just know I'm excited
1:05:30
about what's coming for Black Girl Interrupted podcast. So on that note, I
1:05:36
love you guys again. Happy Wednesday. I hope each and every person has
1:05:41
a beautiful day tomorrow. I hope you guys have a beautiful and safe weekend.
1:05:45
And I'm gonna see y'all again next Tuesday, same time, same place,
1:05:48
all right. I love y'all, have a good night and again be
1:05:54
blessed. Set boundaries, Drink your water, wash your hands, wash your
1:05:58
ass, baby, because guess what over his back on the rise. Love
1:06:01
y'all have a good knight.