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The Funeral Of Tyre Nichols. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired February 01, 2023 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[14:33:38]

REV. DR. J. LAWRENCE TURNER: First Chronicles Chapter 12 and verse 32 speaks of the sons of Issachar, who were men who understood their times, and what to do about them. The set man for this hour at this time, is a man who understands his time and what to do about them.

There was no need really for an introduction. But I would share a personal story that when I was pastoring my first church as a young pastor, Reverend Sharpton invited me into the family of the National Action Network, allowed me to serve on his board and give me a front row to his work in leading the Civil Rights Movement. I want to say this without any fear of contradiction, he is the hardest working civil rights leader of our time. Come on. Come on.

I have watched him in these moments minister to families who are experiencing what Mr. and Mrs. Wells are dealing with now and not just show up and share the eulogy but he's continued to walk with these families over the weeks, the months and the years ahead.

[14:35:16]

But I think it is important for me to set the record straight. So many people erroneously think that Reverend Sharpton has to chase the cameras. Let's be clear, he brings the cameras with him to shine a light on the injustice that's happening in our nation. And so, we are blessed today as we celebrate the life of Tyre Nichols to hear a voice for our time.

And I would that after the next election by the celebration choir that we would all stand to our feet and welcome the President of the National Action Network and our eulogies for this service, the Reverend Al Sharpton. Come on, put your hands together and receive the celebration quiet.

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[14:42:45]

REV. AL SHARPTON, DELIVERING EULOGY FOR TYRE NICHOLS: You may be seated. Giving honor to God, to our pastor, Reverend Jason Lawrence Turner, to all the clergy, our public officials and to most of all the family of Tyre Nichols. Let me say that we're blessed to have a young pastor who has labored in social justice and prophetic vision.

(APPLAUSE)

SHARPTON: And who immediately said to let us celebrate Tyre here at this great church. People like Jason Turner not born in the ministry every day. A lot of ministers show up when the cameras show up, and leave when the cameras leave. But he's been with us in NAN for many years. And he's a great giant in his own right. Give a hand to Reverend Jason Turner.

Let me also say that I want to recognize the other families that have come from around the country and know what Mr. And Mrs. Wells is going through and all of the siblings. And I want them to stand and be recognized because they know what it is to sit at a funeral like this. And I know the family of George Floyd is here, stand up, Brandon, Philonise (ph), the family, Bottom John's [ph] sister is here.

[14:45:07]

The mother, Philonise and Kiki is here, the floor is theirs. Bottom John's sister, and Brandon, the mother of Eric Garner from New York is here, Gwen Carr. The mother of Breonna Taylor, Tamika Palmer is here.

And there may be others that I did not have the note for. I want the family to know that they've come to be with you on this day from all over the country. And we thank from the White House, the President talked to the family but sent a delegation led by the former mayor of Atlanta who now is running policy and social engagement in the White House, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

(APPLAUSE)

The head of infrastructure, the infrastructure czar of the country, former mayor of New Orleans stand up, Mitch Landrieu is here.

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The fighting congresswoman from Houston, Texas fighting for reparations in the Congress, Sheila Jackson Lee is here.

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And my friend and brother, the congressman right here from Tennessee, Congressman Steve Cohen is here.

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Many years ago, there was a controversy in California. And there was one that stood up for justice. And I watched them grow as they fought and took a balanced and principled stand, supporting what was right even when it wasn't popular. And they grew from one office to another.

Every office they ran for these predicted you couldn't win. The political polling told them they couldn't win. And they kept beating the polls. And they told her she shouldn't be here today. But the snow backed up, and she's here. The Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris.

(APPLAUSE)

I was going to be polite about it. But since you all stood up and clap so long, wouldn't it be nice for her to share a few words with us? Come on, come on up here so they can see you.

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KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good afternoon, church. Reverend Sharpton, I want to thank you for all you do for so many. There are so many families here who have been personally touched by your leadership and your strength, in your fellowship. Reverend Dr. Lawrence Turner, thank you for welcoming us. Keisha Lance Bottom, Mitch Landrieu. We are here on behalf of the people of our country and our President Joe Biden.

And we are here to celebrate the life of Tyre Nichols. Mrs. Wells, Mr. Wells, you have been extraordinary in terms of your strength, your courage, and your grace.

(APPLAUSE)

And we mourn with you, and the people of our country mourn with you. And I just have -- just -- I'm going to be very brief.

[14:50:03]

Mothers around the world, when their babies are born, pray to God, when they hold that child, that that body and that life will be safe for the rest of his life. Yet we have a mother and a father who mourn the life of a young man who should be here today. They have a grandson who now does not have a father. His brothers and sister will lose the love of growing old with their baby brother.

And when we look at this situation, this is a family that lost their son and their brother through an act of violence at the hands and the feet of people who had been charged with keeping them safe.

(APPLAUSE)

And when I think about the courage and the strength of this family, I think it demands that we speak truth. And with this, I will say, this violent act was not in pursuit of 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 here today?

(APPLAUSE)

Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe? So when we talk about public safety, let us understand what it means in its truest form. Tyre Nichols should have been safe.

So I'll just close by saying this. I was, as a senator -- as a United States senator, a co-author of the original George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. And as Vice President of the United States, we demand that Congress pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Joe Biden will sign it.

(APPLAUSE)

And we should not delay, and we will not be denied. It is non- negotiable.

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And with that, I'll just pass through, if you don't mind -- one of my favorite verses in Scripture is Luke Chapter 1, Verse 79, which tells us God will help us to shine a light upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace.

Let our memory of Tyre shine a light on the path toward peace and justice. Thank you.

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SHARPTON: Vice President Kamala Harris.

(APPLAUSE)

I want you to turn your attention very briefly to the 37th chapter of Genesis. It reads, "So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance. And before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him."

May God add a blessing to the reading of his work.

[14:55:19]

Earlier this morning before dawn, I did what I often do when I come to Memphis. I went out to the Lorraine Motel. As a youngster, I joined SCLC Operation Breadbasket. I had been aboard preaching the Church of God in Christ. And my mother was concerned when I was 12, that I was getting too involved in looking at activism and Adam Clayton Powell and others.

She took me to my bishop, Bishop F.D. Washington, who said, I know what to do with him. And he brought me to Reverend William Jones, who led Dr. King's organization in New York and Reverend Jesse Jackson. And at 13, the year Dr. King died, I was 13 years old, I became youth director of the chapter in New York.

So it was my growing up in the King Movement in the north after his death. That makes me come to the Lorraine hotel. And look at the spot, the Dr. King died. This morning, and I took my youngest daughter Ashley with. And in all of the eyes, I told the story of how Dr. King came to Memphis to fight for garbage workers, city employees that had no safety, too had been killed with a malfunction.

And here we are, actually 55 years later, looking at the balcony where Martin Luther King shed his blood for city workers, for black city workers to be able to work in the police department, work in sanitation. And the reason why, Mr. and Mrs. Wells, what happened to Tyree is so personal to me is that five black men that wouldn't have had a job in the police department would not ever be thought of to be in an elite squad.

In the city that Dr. King lost his life, not far away from that balcony, you beat a brother to death. There's nothing more insulting and offensive to those of us that fight to open doors that you walk through those doors and act like the folks we had to fight for to get you through them door.

(APPLAUSE)

You didn't get on a police department by yourself. Police chief didn't get there by herself. People had to march and go to jail and some lost their lives to open the doors for you. And how dare you act like that sacrifices was for nothing. You are in a no New England state, you're in Tennessee, where we had to fight for you.

And you take that position and do what we saw and then some of you all got all this mess on social media. Let me tell you something. I don't know what you write on social media. I know what I saw on the tape. And the tape speaks for itself.

They never asked this man for his license. Never asked for the car registration. Snatched him out of the car and began beating him.