On Wednesday, the six ex-law enforcement officials from Mississippi who perpetrated a racist attack by torturing and abusing two Black men were sentenced to 15 to 45 years in prison on state charges. Former Rankin County Sheriff’s deputies Brett Morris McAlpin, 53; Christian Dedmon, 29; Jeffrey Middleton, 46; Hunter Elward, 31; and Daniel Opdyke, 28; along with former Richland police officer Joshua Hartfield, 32, had previously pleaded to state charges in August.
McAlpin, Middleton, and Opdyke received 20-year sentences; Dedmon was sentenced to 25 years; Elward received 45 years; and Hartfield got 15 years in federal penitentiaries. These sentences will run concurrently with their federal sentences. Additionally, they were all directed to pay $6,431 within two years of release and to permanently surrender their law enforcement certificates.
According to prosecutors, the group of white officers had given themselves the moniker "Goon Squad" as a reflection of their readiness to employ excessive force and conceal their violent assault on Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker in January 2023.
During the assault, the men subjected Jenkins and Parker to verbal abuse, physical beatings, stun gun attacks, and even used a sex toy. Shockingly, one of them carried out a "mock execution" by shooting Jenkins in the mouth.
All individuals involved had also admitted guilt to federal charges linked to the assault and were sentenced to federal prison terms ranging from 10 to 40 years.
About The Attack
In January 2023, McAlpin received a complaint from a 'white' individual alleging that Jenkins and Parker were residing with a 'white' woman at a residence in Braxton, Mississippi.
Subsequently, McAlpin texted a group known as "The Goon Squad," described by the Justice Department as notorious “for using excessive force and not reporting it.”
Acting on this information, the group of men proceeded to the mentioned residence without a warrant and launched a brutal assault on Jenkins and Parker. They physically attacked them, hurling punches and kicks, spewing racial slurs, forcing them to ingest substances, and using a sex toy to further assault them, as outlined by the Justice Department.
Dedmon exacerbated the situation by firing his gun twice in an attempt to intimidate the victims, the department revealed.
In a horrifying act, Elward engaged in a mock execution by inserting his gun into Jenkins' mouth and pulling the trigger. Although no bullet discharged initially, Elward repeated the action, resulting in Jenkins sustaining severe injuries, including a lacerated tongue and a broken jaw.
Following the assault, the officers conspired to cover up their actions and concocted a plan to plant drugs on Jenkins and Parker. These false charges remained against the victims for several months, as reported by The Associated Press.
Sentencing And Victims' Statements
During Wednesday's sentencing, statements on behalf of the victims were read by attorneys.
Michael Jenkins' statement conveyed the harrowing experience he endured: “After Hunter Elward shot me, they left me to die bleeding on the floor and they tried to set me up to be imprisoned. January 24th, Your Honor, was the worst day of my life. I was brutally beaten and nearly killed by the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, also known as the Goon Squad. I never would have thought a night of hanging out with friends would nearly cost me my life.”
Jenkins further described the extensive physical and emotional trauma inflicted upon him. “They beat, kicked, tased, insulted, waterboarded and humiliated me over and over again,” the statement said.
“I can no longer do what I love to do and that’s sing. I play the drums for my church. And because I was shot in the face, it affected my vision so I can no longer play. ... I wake it up at night covered in sweat because of the nightmares of my attack. Loud noises police lights, sirens, all give me extreme fear and anxiety. I am broken inside and I don’t ever think I’ll be the person I was,” the statement continued.
Eddie Parker's statement reflected the lasting impact of the ordeal: The actions of that night of terror have "left a scar on me that will last forever."
"I never knew the ones that were sworn to protect and serve would be the ones I need protection from. I am in constant fear someone will break into my home and terrorize me again … the humiliation and embarrassment from the sexual assault is too great to me to talk about."
"My life was not perfect. But it was mine. I doubt if I’ll ever experience it again ... They should be given what they gave me and Michael Jenkins — which was no mercy and I pray for the maximum sentence," his statement concluded.
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch condemned the actions of the six men, emphasizing “the actions of these six men did grave harm to these two victims, Michael Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, and violated the trust of all the citizens they swore to protect. These former officers also violated the trust of the other men and women who honorably wear the uniform.”
Fitch highlighted the collaborative effort of multiple agencies over 15 months, stating, "Together we worked to ensure justice for these victims in a horrific case of abuse."
