The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks at historic Mason Temple as he is flanked by RowVaughn Wells, right, mother of Tyre Nichols, and Tyre

Civil rights activist Al Sharpton has invoked Martin Luther King‘s iconic Mountaintop speech on the eve of the funeral of Tyre Nichols in Memphis.

The reverend stood beside the late 29-year-old’s parents at the historic Mason Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis last night, where Dr King delivered his final speech the night before he was assassinated.

Sharpton will deliver the eulogy at Mr Nichols’ funeral today at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church at 10.30am local time, with 2,500 expected to attend including Vice President Kamala Harris, who was invited by the family.

Sharpton said last night: ‘They’re standing on that ground because we will continue in Tyre’s name to head up to Martin’s mountaintop. 

The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks at historic Mason Temple as he is flanked by RowVaughn Wells, right, mother of Tyre Nichols, and Tyre's stepfather Rodney Wells, left

The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks at historic Mason Temple as he is flanked by RowVaughn Wells, right, mother of Tyre Nichols, and Tyre's stepfather Rodney Wells, left

The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks at historic Mason Temple as he is flanked by RowVaughn Wells, right, mother of Tyre Nichols, and Tyre’s stepfather Rodney Wells, left

‘That’s why we wanted to start this right on this sacred ground. This is holy ground. And this family now is ours and they’re in the hands of history, and they’re in the hands of those that would fight.’

Family members also shared remembrances and expressed their grief following the shocking death last month of the FedEx worker who was brutally beaten to death by Memphis cops. 

Nichols’ older brother, Jamal Dupree, lamented he was not there to save his brother from the attack he suffered at the fists and feet of the five officers, who have been charged with second-degree murder and other offenses.

‘I’ve been fighting my whole life and the one fight I needed to be here for, I wasn’t here,’ said Dupree, adding that violence was against his brother’s nature.

‘My brother was the most peaceful person I’ve ever met in life,’ he said. ‘If my brother was here today and he had to say something, he’d tell us to do this peacefully.’

A poster of Tyre Nichols holding his daughter is displayed during a news conference at Mason Temple church last night

A poster of Tyre Nichols holding his daughter is displayed during a news conference at Mason Temple church last night

A poster of Tyre Nichols holding his daughter is displayed during a news conference at Mason Temple church last night

The family of Tyre Nichols, attorney Ben Crump, and Reverend Al Sharpton gather on the eve of the funeral

The family of Tyre Nichols, attorney Ben Crump, and Reverend Al Sharpton gather on the eve of the funeral

The family of Tyre Nichols, attorney Ben Crump, and Reverend Al Sharpton gather on the eve of the funeral

2,500 are expected to attend including Vice President Kamala Harris, who was invited by the family

2,500 are expected to attend including Vice President Kamala Harris, who was invited by the family

2,500 are expected to attend including Vice President Kamala Harris, who was invited by the family

J. Lawrence Turner, pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, will preside over the funeral

J. Lawrence Turner, pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, will preside over the funeral

J. Lawrence Turner, pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, will preside over the funeral

Nichols was a 29-year-old skateboarder and amateur photographer who worked making boxes at FedEx

Nichols was a 29-year-old skateboarder and amateur photographer who worked making boxes at FedEx

Nichols was a 29-year-old skateboarder and amateur photographer who worked making boxes at FedEx

VP Harris spoke by phone with the Wells family on Tuesday, expressing her condolences and offering her support. President Joe Biden spoke by phone to Nichols’ family last week.

Harris will be joined by former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a senior adviser to the president for public engagement, and Mitch Landrieu, a White House senior advisor and infrastructure implementation coordinator, who is a former mayor of New Orleans.

Rev Sharpton said the family intended to have a ‘dignified funeral service, not a marathon’.

‘This is not about politics, it’s about justice,’ the reverend said. ‘People are coming from all over the world, and we are coming because we’re all Tyre, now.’

After Sharpton’s delivers the eulogy, Nichols’ family attorney Ben Crump will issue a call to action. 

Tyre Nichols succumbed  to injuries sustained during the vicious assault on January 7

Tyre Nichols succumbed  to injuries sustained during the vicious assault on January 7

Tyre Nichols succumbed  to injuries sustained during the vicious assault on January 7

All five cops were fired on January 20 and on January 26 were arrested and charged with Nichols' murder as well as kidnapping, assault and misconduct

All five cops were fired on January 20 and on January 26 were arrested and charged with Nichols' murder as well as kidnapping, assault and misconduct

All five cops were fired on January 20 and on January 26 were arrested and charged with Nichols’ murder as well as kidnapping, assault and misconduct

Others expected to be in attendance include Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor, and Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd.

The deaths of Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, and Floyd in Minneapolis, at the hands of police sparked protests across the nation about racial injustice.

Five Black officers have been fired and charged in Nichols’ January 7 beating and subsequent death. 

Two Memphis brothers say that Emmit Martin III, one of the cops accused of beating Mr Nichols to death in the city, pulled a gun on them after he found the pair smoking pot while armed and told one of them: ‘I’ll blow your face off.’

Brothers Demarius Hervey, 27, and Glenn Harris, 24, made their claims in a new interview with NBC News. 

Hervey and Harris say that they were smoking pot and were in possession of a legal firearm when they found themselves surrounded by Memphis cops at a gas station in August 2020. 

Panicked, Hervey and Harris said that they jumped into Harris’ car and took off. The chase lasted for around two miles until Harris crashed. When he got out and attempted to flee again, that’s when he found himself tackled to the ground by Martin, 30. 

The pair’s mother, Stacy Harris, confirmed the brother’s version of events, adding that all of her sons have had run-ins with the law. 

Brothers Demarius Hervey, 27, and Glenn Harris, 24, went to a lawyer about the incident but were told that internal affairs would likely not take any action

Brothers Demarius Hervey, 27, and Glenn Harris, 24, went to a lawyer about the incident but were told that internal affairs would likely not take any action

Brothers Demarius Hervey, 27, and Glenn Harris, 24, went to a lawyer about the incident but were told that internal affairs would likely not take any action

Officer Emmitt Martin III has been fired and charged with second-degree murder and other offenses in relation to Nichols' death alongside Desmond Mills Jr., Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith

Officer Emmitt Martin III has been fired and charged with second-degree murder and other offenses in relation to Nichols' death alongside Desmond Mills Jr., Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith

Officer Emmitt Martin III has been fired and charged with second-degree murder and other offenses in relation to Nichols’ death alongside Desmond Mills Jr., Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith

The damage from the car chase that Harris led the police on in August 2020

The damage from the car chase that Harris led the police on in August 2020

The damage from the car chase that Harris led the police on in August 2020

Their attorney, Arthur Horne, told NBC that a few days after the run-in, he told Harris that he could make a complaint to internal affairs but it’s unlikely any action would be taken. 

In the wake of the release of the Nichols’ video, Horne said that they family were unsure if they were going to follow-up with a formal complaint.

In 2020, Harris was accused of driving under the influence, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident and evading arrest.

Hervey did not face charges but NBC News reports that officers did find a baggie of marijuana on his person. 

The network, quoting from the complaint, said that Harris ‘had over $2960 dollars on his person’ as well as a gun with 15 rounds.

Speaking about Martin, Harris said: ‘He was in the wrong, he wasn’t supposed to pull a gun on me.’ 

A WMC report from the time said that the incident occurred around 1:00 am on a Sunday morning. 

The report said that: ‘The crash sent several decorative planters flying down the road.’ It also mentions that Harris was charged with having a gun while under the influence. 

Martin had been with the Memphis Police Department since March 2018. His lawyer William Massey, has said that his client intends to plead not guilty. 

Massey told reporters: ‘No one out there that night intended for Tyre Nichols to die. No one. No one.’

Days after sickening footage was revealed of the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, several questions remain including why he was pulled over in the first place and what was ultimately his cause of death

Days after sickening footage was revealed of the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, several questions remain including why he was pulled over in the first place and what was ultimately his cause of death

Officer Preston Hemphill (pictured), who is white, and another officer whose name wasn't released, have been suspended

Officer Preston Hemphill (pictured), who is white, and another officer whose name wasn't released, have been suspended

Officer Preston Hemphill (pictured), who is white, and another officer whose name wasn’t released, have been suspended

Video of the beating, which was released publicly last week, shows that many more people failed to help Nichols, who was also Black, beyond the five officers charged in his death.

Two more Memphis police officers have been disciplined and three emergency responders fired in connection with Nichols’ death, officials said Monday.

Officer Preston Hemphill, who is white, and another officer whose name wasn’t released, have been suspended, police said.

Six of the officers involved were part of the so-called Scorpion unit, which targeted violent criminals in high-crime areas. Police Chief Cerelyn ‘CJ’ Davis said after the video’s release that the unit has been disbanded.

‘It’s a step in the right direction, but due to the severity of the situation it´s not enough,’ Damion Carrick said as he participated in a protest Monday evening at Shelby Farms Park. 

‘You got a man dragged out of his car, beaten senseless, to a pulp and nobody doing nothing about it. It´s heartbreaking.’

Nichols’ death was the latest in a string of early accounts by police about their use of force that were later shown to have minimized or omitted violent and sometimes deadly encounters.

Memphis Police Department officers used a stun gun, a baton and their fists as they pummeled Nichols during the nighttime arrest. 

Video shows Nichols running away from officers toward his house after he was pulled over on suspicion of reckless driving. 

The video footage released Friday shows the 29-year-old father calling for his mother and struggling with his injuries as he sits helpless on the pavement.

The five officers chatted and milled about for several minutes as Nichols remained on the ground, but other authorities were on the scene. 

Two Shelby County sheriff’s deputies also have been suspended without pay while their conduct is investigated.

Nichols’ sister, Keyana Dixon, was among more than 100 friends, family and supporters who gathered for a candlelight vigil Monday night at a skate park in Sacramento, where Nichols grew up, The Sacramento Bee reported.

‘This was his favorite place to skate,’ she said at the vigil. ‘I just want to thank all of you for your continued support for our family, and making sure his name is never forgotten.’

A childhood friend, Ryan Wilson, said he met Nichols at a skate park when he was 12 and they became fast friends, sharing their dreams for the future. Nichols had some struggles while young, but he focused on making others happy, Wilson said.

‘I just feel like all he wanted to do was find his place in this world, and he just wanted to be happy,’ Wilson said.

Nichols’ mother and step father have accepted an invitation to attend Biden´s State of the Union address next week at the Capitol. 

They will attend with Rep. Steven Horsford, a Nevada Democrat and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, according to Vincent Evans, a spokesperson for the caucus.

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