Memphis mother reacts to news of 5 indictments in son’s murder

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - It’s been 7 months since the death of 16-year-old Emmit Beasley, and still his mother is living with the pain of his loss.

“I’ve been living in a nightmare, a cruel nightmare I can’t wake up from,” said Chasity Graham, the mother.

Monday morning, the District Attorney’s Office announced five people, all suspected gang members, have been indicted in Beasley’s murder.

Indicted are 23-year-old David Lee Jr., who was originally charged for the crime in November 2021, 18-year-old Rico Lee Jr., 17-year-old Tavion Rogers, 16-year-old Jaden Rios, and 15-year-old Tremayne Scales Jr.

According to the DA’s Office, all face counts of first-degree murder and employment of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony.

Lee Jr. has also been indicted as a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.

What’s more is all have been released on bond.

The DA’s Office originally informed us Lee Jr. was still being held in the Shelby County Jail on $350,000 bond, but Graham showed us a message from a Shelby County jail information alert number the Lee Jr., in fact, posted that bond.

Graham told us she even moved to a new home, two weeks after burying her son, in a different part of the Memphis area out of fear of her son’s killers.

“I didn’t know what was going on,” she said. “I didn’t know why my son was murdered. We don’t know his murderers.”

Flipping through the pages of her son’s autopsy, she tells us her son was shot 12 times.

“To shoot (Beasley) over 12 times, all over his body, it’s horrific,” Graham said. “For these adults and kids to be out... they’re out living their best life. My son is resting in a grave.”

Beasley was participating in a walking funeral procession on Hunter Street in North Memphis when the alleged gunmen pulled up and opened fire.

Now that the indictment has been announced, Graham hopes a court date isn’t far behind.

She says she’s ready to move forward.

“He had a future, and he was a nice, pleasant young man,” Graham said. “He was robbed; I was robbed. No parent should have to stand over their dead child; no parents should have to bury a child.”

Another victim was Beasley’s cousin, who we’ve learned has recovered from his wounds.

Now the family waits for that court date, anxious for justice for Emmit.

Copyright 2022 WMC. All rights reserved.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter!

Click here to report a spelling or grammar error. Please include the headline.