Former Cop Charged With Murder In The Death Of Tyre Nichols Accused Of Beating Former Inmate, Report

MEMPHIS- One of the five former police officers charged with murdering Tyre Nichols allegedly beat an inmate eight years ago, according to a report.

Cordarlrius Sledge, 34, filed a lawsuit against ex-cop Demetrius Haley, 30, who was working as a correction officer, claiming Haley took part in his beatdown on May 16, 2015, inside of the Shelby County Division of Corrections, The Post reports.

Sledge told The Post “That could have been me”, referring to Tyre’s death.

Sledge who was serving a three-year sentence for aggravated assault, filed the suit, saying Haley and another officer punched him the face during a search for a phone that was forbidden, according to court papers, according to the news outlet.

He also accused a third correction officer of slamming him face first into a sink.

“I has some contraband on me and I was trying to flush it down the toilet but they didn’t follow protocol. Haley was the most vicious”, Sledge said.

Sledge says he blacked out and when he woke up in his bed with blood “pouring” out of his ears.

“There was so much blood on my pillow. It damaged my right ear for life, he told The Post.

Sledge said he got an apology from the prison’s warden but nothing from Haley.

Haley joined the Memphis police department in August of 2020, after he was promoted from correction officer to a police officer.

Court papers show that Haley denied assaulting Sledge, and the lawsuit was dismissed after Sledge failed to provide the court with requested information.

Haley was fired along with four other officers and charged with murder in the brutal beating death of Tyre Nichols.