A rumor on social media suggested there is a personal connection between Tyre Nichols and Demetrius Haley.
Rumors have spread on social media linking Tyre Nichols—the man who died after he was allegedly beaten by police officers in a routine traffic stop—to the partner of one of the officers charged with his murder.
Police stopped Nichols, 29, in Memphis, Tennessee on January 7 on suspicion of reckless driving, according to police statements.
The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, said in a press conference that Nichols was returning from Shelby Farms, a large parkland east of Memphis, where he had taken photos of the sunset.
Five officers—Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith—are in custody after being charged by the Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy with murder, as well as aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
The Claim
Various claims have been made that Nichols was in a relationship with the former girlfriend of Haley. The girlfriend, these claims say, worked with Nichols at FedEx.
It was claimed that following the alleged beating of Nichols, Haley took images of Nichols to send to his partner as a warning.
