Memphis, Tennessee - A former police officer has pleaded guilty to charges related to the death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who died after being brutally beaten during a traffic stop in January.

Former Memphis police officer Desmond Mills Jr. dropped his not-guilty plea on Thursday and agreed to plead guilty to two of the four federal charges from his January indictment.

According to the Department of Justice, the guilty pleas include civil rights charges of "excessive force and failing to intervene in the unlawful assault" of Nichols as well as conspiracy charges in attempting to cover up the violations "by omitting material information and by providing false and misleading information to his supervisor and to others."

Mills will face up to 15 years in federal prison and will be sentenced on May 22.

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Mills and four other officers - Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, and Emmitt Martin III - were filmed horrifically beating and kicking Nichols during a traffic stop on January 7.

They were terminated on January 20 after an investigation and public outcry and indicted on several charges, including murder, in Tennessee shortly afterward.

In September, the officers were charged federally with civil rights, conspiracy, and obstruction offenses by a grand jury. The remaining indicted police officers have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to face federal trial on May 6, 2024.

Mills has also agreed to plead guilty to aspects of state felony charges, which will come after his federal sentencing, according to the district attorney.