According to personnel records, Demetrius Haley, a former Memphis Police officer charged in the death of Tyre Nichols, had a history of policy violations and accusations of excessive force during his time as a correctional officer.
Haley worked at a prison operated by the Shelby County Division of Corrections from 2015 to 2020.
One incident involved an inmate named Cordarius Sledge, who accused Haley of using chemical spray on him, which Sledge considered excessive force. However, an investigation into the matter did not find any violations of the department's use of force policies and deemed the allegations unsubstantiated.
Sledge suffered injuries, including a fractured right temporal bone and perforated eardrum, as a result of the incident. In response, thirty-four inmates signed a letter to the corrections director, expressing concern about the reported abuse.
Sledge later filed a lawsuit against Haley and two other correctional officers, alleging that Haley and another officer had punched him. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by a federal court.
In addition to these incidents, Haley was found to be in violation of the department's professionalism, ethics, and conduct policy in 2015. He had shared confidential information with an inmate, which was deemed inappropriate. Furthermore, Haley failed to report when an inmate informed him of plans to smuggle contraband.
Another incident involved an inmate accusing Haley of using unnecessary force during a contraband search. According to documents, Haley restrained the inmate after the inmate had placed contraband in his own mouth, resulting in a head injury. Investigators, however, justified the use of force in this situation.
These records shed light on Haley's past behavior and raise questions about his conduct as a law enforcement officer. The allegations of excessive force and policy violations during his time as a correctional officer are concerning, and they warrant further scrutiny as the case involving Tyre Nichols' death unfolds.
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