A former Memphis police officer accused in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols sent a photo of the injured man to his ex-girlfriend on the night of the incident, according to testimony in his ongoing trial.
Brittany Leake, who previously dated Demetrius Haley, testified that she was on the phone with him when officers stopped Nichols for a traffic violation. She recalled hearing a "commotion" and commands for Nichols to show his hands. After the call ended, Haley texted her the disturbing photo in a group chat that included her and her godsister. The jury was shown the image, depicting Nichols with his eyes closed and blood near his mouth.
Leake described her reaction: "Oh my God, he definitely needs to go to the Med," referring to Memphis' trauma hospital.
The violent encounter, captured on body cameras and surveillance footage, has ignited widespread protests and demands for police reform. While officers claimed they pulled Nichols over for reckless driving, Memphis’ police chief stated there is no evidence supporting that assertion.
Haley, along with fellow officers Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith, is facing federal charges for violating Nichols' civil rights through excessive force and failing to intervene. They have pleaded not guilty. Their trial began on September 9 and is expected to last several weeks.
All five officers involved were terminated from the Memphis Police Department following Nichols' death. The incident, which included police brutality, has drawn intense scrutiny, and the officers have since been indicted on federal charges.
During her testimony, Leake mentioned she deleted the photo upon seeing it, acknowledging that sharing such images is against police policy. She noted that while the image was difficult to look at, she wasn’t offended.
Earlier in the trial, former officer Emmitt Martin III testified, facing questions about inconsistencies in his statements to investigators. He admitted to lying during internal police inquiries but claimed to have been truthful with FBI investigators after his guilty plea in August. Martin recounted feeling pressure on his duty belt during the traffic stop, which led to chaotic moments as Nichols was forcibly removed from his car.
Martin described Nichols as "disoriented" and stated he never had the opportunity to comply with police orders. After being pepper-sprayed and tased, Nichols attempted to flee but was subsequently beaten by the officers about a block from his home, calling out for his mother as he suffered injuries.
Nichols, who was Black, died on January 10, 2023, three days after the assault. An autopsy revealed he succumbed to severe head trauma.
Paramedic Jesse Guy testified he arrived on the scene to find Nichols unresponsive and without a pulse. He performed CPR in the ambulance, stabilizing Nichols before reaching the hospital.
Two EMTs who first responded to the scene were later fired for not following proper protocols after Nichols' death.
The five officers also face second-degree murder charges in state court, where they have pleaded not guilty. Martin and Mills are expected to alter their pleas, and federal prosecutors have recommended a 40-year sentence for Martin, although no date has been set for the state court proceedings.
Nichols, a FedEx employee, was an avid skateboarder and photographer. In his memory, the city of Sacramento, where he grew up, has named a skatepark after him.
"Tyre Nichols' family has been seeking justice and accountability from the outset of this tragedy," said civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci in a statement at the trial’s start.
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