A former Memphis police officer standing trial in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols is a kind-hearted, humble person who did his job “by the book,” a friend from the police academy testified Friday.

Mills and Martin have pleaded guilty to the federal charges. The five officers were members of a crime suppression team called the Scorpion unit, which was disbanded after Nichols’ death. Like Nichols, who died in a hospital on Jan. 10, 2023, all the ex-officers are Black. They were fired for violating police department policies.