Former Officer Sent Gruesome Photo of Tyre Nichols to Ex-Girlfriend

In Memphis, Tennessee, a former police officer faces serious charges in connection to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. During the trial, it was revealed that he sent his ex-girlfriend a photo of Nichols, who was severely injured, on the night of the incident.

Brittany Leake, the ex-girlfriend of Demetrius Haley, testified that she was on a phone call with him when the police pulled over Nichols for a traffic stop. She recalled hearing commotion in the background, including commands for someone to give officers his hands.

After their call ended, Haley shared a photo in a group chat that included Leake and her godsister. This photograph was presented to the jury and depicted Nichols with his eyes closed on the ground, blood seemingly near his mouth, with his hands restrained behind him.

Upon seeing the photo, Leake expressed her concern, saying, “Oh my God, he definitely needs to go to the Med,” referring to Memphis’ trauma hospital.

Haley, alongside two other officers, Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith, is on trial for allegedly depriving Nichols of his civil rights through excessive force, failing to intervene, and for obstructing justice with witness tampering.

All three officers were terminated from the Memphis Police Department following Nichols’ death. The incident was captured in police video, which was later made public, leading to their indictment on federal charges. Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., also involved in the incident, have accepted plea deals and are now testifying against their former colleagues.

During her testimony, Leake acknowledged that she deleted the photo after seeing it and noted that sending such images is against police policy. She mentioned that while she was not offended by the photo, it was difficult to view.

Leake also highlighted that Haley had previously sent her photos of drugs and other injury-related incidents.

On the same day of Leake’s testimony, Martin returned to the stand for a third time. Defense lawyers sought to identify discrepancies between Martin’s prior statements and his current testimony. He admitted to lying to the Memphis Police Department internal investigators in an attempt to cover up his actions.

Nevertheless, Martin claimed he was truthful with FBI agents following his guilty plea in August. He recounted an incident from the traffic stop, describing feeling pressure on his duty belt from where his gun was holstered but acknowledging he could not see if Nichols posed a threat to him.

When questioned by Justin Smith’s attorney about why Nichols didn’t surrender, Martin explained, “He’s out of it. Disoriented.”

Martin described how tensions rapidly escalated when Haley drew his weapon and forcefully removed Nichols from his vehicle, using aggressive language and failing to inform Nichols why he was being stopped.

“He never got a chance to comply,” Martin stated, highlighting the chaotic nature of the traffic stop.

During the incident, which was recorded on police camera, Nichols, a Black man, was pepper sprayed and hit with a stun gun before fleeing on foot. The five officers, also Black, subsequently pursued and brutally assaulted him about a block away from his residence, as Nichols pleaded for his mother.

Video evidence documented the officers standing around and conversing as Nichols struggled with his severe injuries. He ultimately succumbed to his wounds on January 10, 2023, three days after the assault.

An autopsy report confirmed that Nichols, who was a father to a seven-year-old boy, died as a result of blunt force trauma, listing brain injuries, along with multiple bruises and cuts on his body.

The five officers have also been charged with second-degree murder in state court, to which they have pleaded not guilty. Both Mills and Martin are expected to change their pleas soon, but a trial date in state court has not yet been established.

Source: AP