BREAKING NEWS: No Charges to be Filed Against Chris Henry's Fiancee

by Alicia Cruz
Editor-in-Chief
The Black Urban Times

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has completed their investigation into the death of NFL star, Chris Henry. Detectives announced moments ago that there will be no criminal charges filed against Henry's fiancee, Loleini Tonga.


The criminal probe found no evidence that Tonga was driving recklessly or excessively. Charlotte police say Tonga was driving between 19 and 23 mph when the accident occurred. The speed limit on Oakdale Road, where Henry fell out, is 35 mph.

Cincinnati Bengal, Henry died in December after falling or jumping out of the bed of a pickup truck being driven by his fiancee.

The two reportedly argued in the moments before his accident and although neighbors told police they heard Henry "begging" Tonga to stop the truck, detectives say no witnesses actually saw how Henry came out of the back of the truck.

A medical examiner ruled that Henry's death was accidental and that he died from blunt force trauma to the head.

In a recent ESPN interview, Tonga said that Henry jumped out of the truck, but he didn't do it with the intention of harming himself. Tonga said she thinks Henry thought he would land safely and may have been scared because he saw someone calling the police.

"I wasn't going fast. Maybe he was scared because he saw someone calling police that was behind us. But as far as him wanting to end his life? No. He had too much going for him," Tonga said.

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Chris Henry's Fiancée Speaks

by Jarred Powell
Sports Editor

My heart goes out to Chris Henry's fiancée, Loleini Tonga, but this has to be the worse interview I have ever seen. Not only does she contradict herself, but she speaks as if she had no control over the situation, which she clearly did and did not use. This interview gave me insight into the whole situation.

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Update: Neighbor says 'Chris Henry Made Threat of Suicide Just Before Accident

photo/CBSNews.com

UPDATE: 4:44 PM EST In an attempt to confirm Internet rumors stating that the fiancee of Chris Henry had a "history of alcohol and domestic violence" related incidents, the Black UrbanTimes contacted the watch commander at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department and was told by the Captain that at this time he has "not seen or heard any statements in relation to Miss Tonga having any history of domestic violence or alcohol related incidents in her past." The Cincinnati police have not returned calls to confirm or deny their knowledge of any such reports concerning Miss Tonga at this time.
Stay tuned for further developments on this story

See video of neighbor describing argument between Henry & Tonga below

Article & Video Clip: Chris Henry Remembered as 'Devoted Family Man"

By Alicia Cruz
Theblackurbantimes

Reports have begun circulating that a neighbor living near the Tonga family's home in Charlotte, N.C. claims to have overheard a portion of the argument between Chris Henry and his fiancee, Loleini Tonga, just before Henry's fatal accident.

Lee Hardy, the neighbor of Chris Henry's fiancee told USA Today that he was atop of a ladder cutting back some trees on his home when he saw the yellow pickup "zooming" up the Tongas' gravel driveway just a few yards away.

Click here to view accident scene

Hardy went on to say that a shirtless Henry was holding onto the top and side of the truck while standing in the bed of the pickup and was "begging her to stop the vehicle."

"He was banging on the top, on the doors, screaming at Tonga, "We need to talk! If you take off, I'm going to jump off the truck and kill myself."
Hardy says Tonga was driving the vehicle when she stopped, pausing at the end of the driveway, and then suddenly took off. Later Hardy says he later heard "screeching noises and then police sirens."photo/blogs.bet.com

Sometime later Charlotte-Mecklenburg 911 received two calls from citizens concerning Henry. One from a woman driving behind the truck and another from a man who actually saw Henry laying motionless in the road.

The female caller stated, "I'm driving behind a yellow F-150, there's a black man on it with no shirt, he's got his arm in a cast. He's beating on the truck … I don't know if he's trying to break in it or something crazy."

The male caller stated,"I need an ambulance now. There's a man laying in the road … he looks dead, there's no movement."

According to police officer Rosalyn Harrignton, Henry fell off of the truck about a half-mile from the Tonga home and that his Fiancee stopped immediately and rushed to his side. "Even though this is a high-profile case, we are treating it like any other case in Charlotte," Harrington said.

The Tonga's neighbor Lee Hardy said the Tongas have been "great neighbors" and added that he and other neighbors have attended large luaus at the Tonga home.
"They came and got my girls for trick-or-treat and a big Easter egg hunt," said Jamie Dunn, who is friends with Loleini Tonga's sister and lives across the street.

Despite his immediate medical attention and a host of prayers Chris Henry succumbed to his injuries at approximately 6:30 a.m. at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte N.C.

At this time the Tongas have not released statements to the media, but Henry's agent, David Lee, said "they are devastated by his death." Henry left behind two children Chris Jr., 2, and DeMarcus, 1.

The hospital has not released any statements confirming or denying that Henry had been treated there and police have been tight lipped about what their investigation is focusing upon other than to say that homicide detectives were still investigating the incident which they have called a "domestic dispute."

Watch Witness Describe Argument Between Henry & Fiancee

911 Calls of Chris Henry Accident

(AP Photo/The Enquirer, Jeff Swinger)

By Alicia Cruz
Theblackurbantimes

TMZ is reporting the release of two 911 calls made in reference to the Chris Henry incident in Charlotte. One caller apparently witnessed part of the domestic disturbance between Henry and Fiancee and the other caller reported finding Henry "laying in the street." See the quotes from both callers below and listen to the actual calls below.

A female caller said:

"It's got a Black man on it with no shirt on and he's got his arm in a cast, he's got some black pants on, he's beating on the back of the truck window. ...it's turning onto Oakdale Road off of Oak Drive."

Moments later a male caller dials 911 to say,
"He is laying in the road. He looks dead. There's no movement... He's definitely unconscious. He's not awake. He looks like mid-twenties, black male."

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 911 CALLS
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS AT HUFFINGTON.COM

The 26-year-old NFL star died at 6:30 a.m. in a Charlotte hospital from injuries he sustained after falling out of the back of a pick-up truck being driven by his fiancée Loleini Tonga.

Police questioned Henry's fiancee at the Charlotte home of Tonga's parents, but there has not been an arrest and the police investigation continues. The home where the dispute began reportedly belongs to Tonga's parents. On her MySpace account she recently blogged about
purchasing her wedding rings. The couple has three children: DeMarcus, 10 months, Seini, 3, and Chris Jr., 2
Sept 15, 2009(AP Photo/The Enquirer, Jeff Swinger)

Homicide detectives in Charlotte have been tight-lipped about releasing any more details about what the couple may have been arguing about. They have not released a cause of death and the coroner's office is set to receive Henry's body any hour now.

CNN has reported that a police report is saying, "The domestic situation continued between the operator and Mr. Henry.' Henry 'came out of the back of the vehicle" about half a mile from the house..."