Tyre Nichols’ funeral: Grieving mother calls on Congress for police reform

Both Ms Harris and RowVaughn Wells, Nichols’ mother, called for Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a sweeping reform bill that includes a national registry of officers disciplined for misconduct and a ban of no-knock warrants.

Ms Harris said the beating went against the mission of police to protect public safety.

“It was not in the interest of keeping the public safe, because one must ask, was not it in the interest of keeping the public safe that Tyre Nichols would be with us today? Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe?” she said.

“So when we talk about public safety, let us understand what it means in its truest form. Tyre Nichols should have been safe.”

Ms Wells fought back tears as she spoke of her son.

“The only thing that’s keeping me going is that I truly believe that my son was sent here on assignment from God,” she said.

“And I guess now his assignment is done. He’s gone home.”