On Jan. 7, 2023, officers with the Memphis Police Department yanked Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, from his car, pepper sprayed and tased him, chased after him following a struggle, and then kicked, punched and beat him with a baton.
Ben Sessoms is the Chattanooga Times Editor at the Times Free Press, representing the liberal side of the newspaper’s opinion section. Before taking on this role, he covered growth, development, transportation and the environment for Chattanooga’s paper of record.
Born and raised in eastern North Carolina, he has covered housing, education and local government at multiple publications in his home state, including at The Raleigh News & Observer in the state’s capital city.
Ben has spent most of his adult life in Appalachia, graduating in 2019 with degrees in journalism and communication studies at Appalachian State University.
Outside of work, Ben enjoys hiking, reading, eating local cuisine and caring for his two cats Jasper and Juno. Reach him at bsessoms@timesfreepress.com or by phone at 423-757-6346.
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