201 Poplar inmate’s death possibly linked to pepper spray, autopsy says
Rockez McDaniel, 33, died July 28 after experiencing a “medical emergency” at Shelby County Jail, according to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office at the time. (Courtesy Shelby County Sheriff’s Office file)
A Shelby County Jail inmate who died this summer possibly died from being pepper-sprayed by jail staff, according to his official autopsy report.
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201 Poplar Shelby County Jail inmate deathAarron Fleming
Once an intern, he never left, joining the staff full-time in 2022 as an education reporter. He moved to public safety in 2023, where he covered some of the city’s biggest court cases, including the criminal trials for those charged in the deaths of Tyré Nichols and rapper Young Dolph. He also chronicled the Shelby County Jail and the deaths that have occurred at the facility.
He now provides suburban coverage, focusing on DeSoto County and the surrounding municipalities.
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