Retired cop who spoke out against killing of black man by police found dead
A retired detective who spoke out against the killing of Tyre Nichols by police has been found dead.
Police were called at 8am on Sunday, July 9, to reports of a man shot. They arrived at the scene in Southwest Memphis where the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Family members have identified the man as Mark LeSure, 57. His aunt, Rose LeSure-Jones, told WREG: "He was in the driveway when we got here lying face down.
"Whatever it was he didn't deserve this, he really didn't he was a good guy. One of the good guys really."
Mr LeSure served for 10 years in the US Army as a military police officer, going on to join the Memphis Police Department in 1992. He retired in 2021, going back to school to earn his master's degree from LeMoyne-Owen College.
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Mr LeSure had been outspoken against the Memphis Police Department since the death of Tyre Nichols (Fox13)He was known for speaking out against the killing of Tyre Nichols by Memphis Police officers, and against the force itself. Nichols, 29, was fatally injured after being beaten by Memphis police officers in January 2023 during a traffic stop, dying three days later.
In January, Mr LeSure spoke to NBC News, telling the outlet that the department didn't have enough senior staff to train the new officers.
He also told the New York Times that cuts had forced many of the department's longest-serving officers to retire. He told NBC: "Rookies were getting put on specialised units where they had no business being."
Tyre Nichols was fatally beaten by police during a traffic stop in Memphis (Uncredited/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Mr LeSure was also known as a mentor in the local community. Neighbour and friend Randie Fleming said: "He had outreach ministries to young people in the community, a few blocks away. Westwood community center and now they just lost a mentor.
"It's one thing you hear gang members shooting and killing each other, dying, but someone who is an upstanding guy, he served his community."
When the city of Memphis dedicated a street to former middle school football coach Shirley Yvonne McCray, who was the first woman to coach the boys' team, LeSure told local news he was inspired to create a better path for the youth.
(From left) MPD officers Desmond Mills,Jr., Emmitt Martin III, Justin Smith, Tadarrius Bean, and Demetrius Haley, who all face multiple charges for the death of Tyre Nichols (MEMPHIS POLICE DEPARTMENT/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)"We are starting a non-profit for this neighbourhood to try and get these kids engaged, get them away from gun violence, [and] pick up a book," he told WREG. "We fought with our pen and paper, we didn't fight with fists and guns".
Mr LeSure's fraternity brothers from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity paid their respects to the retired detective. Antonio Avant Sr told Action News 5: "He will be missed, a lot of brothers loved him as soon as he walked in."
He continued: "And for a man to try to exemplify perseverance and show his son that he could go to school at the age that he did and graduate again, you don't hear about too many people coming into our fraternity at the age of 57 at the undergraduate chapter."
"Everyone on the campus knew who he was and loved him", said another fraternity brother. "I think he consistently strived to be a lifelong learner and to do what he could to give back to help others."
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