A retired Memphis homicide detective Mark LeSure was found dead in his driveway and the conspiracy theories have begun.
LeSure was very outspoken about the murder of Tyre Nichols, and activist Amber Sherman pointed out that aspect regarding LeSure’s death.
“Retired Memphis police officer Mark LeSure, who was outspoken against MPD after the murder of Tyre Nichols in national media outlets, was allegedly found murdered in his front yard this morning,” Sherman tweeted.According to Rolling Out, LeSure retired in 2021 and decided to go back to school to work on his master’s degree. He also pledged to become a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and mentored youth in his community.
When Nichols’ murder at the hands of five Black Memphis police officers made national headlines, LeSure spoke out about shady practices within the department. In an interview with NBC News, LeSure talked about the lack of training provided to new officers which was concerning to him.
“Rookies were getting put on specialized units where they had no business being,” LeSure said.
He also mentioned the Scorpion unit—which all five officers worked on. Established after he retired, the community leader claimed he was told the unit had a “zero tolerance” policy on crime,meaning the officers could “do what they can to arrest people.”
Sherman mentioned that LeSure’s killing comes days after the City of Memphis filed a motion to dismiss a $550 million civil lawsuit in Nichols’ death.
LeSure’s fraternity brothers remember him as a man of perseverance. “He will be missed, a lot of brothers loved him as soon as he walked in,” fraternity brother Antonio Avant Sr. said to Action News 5.
Avant said he was welcomed with open arms into the brotherhood in 2022 as he was already a huge presence in the community.
“We lost a great brother, even though he wasn’t with the fraternity that long, he actually as soon as he came in, started working, and doing what he was supposed to do,” Avant said.LeSure’s cause of death has not yet been determined.