Six white ex-Mississippi police officers plead guilty for horrifying torture of two Black men

Six former law enforcement officers from Mississippi, all of whom are white, have admitted guilt on state charges for torturing two Black men, media reports said.The officers were accused of carrying out heinous acts against the victims, including physical assault and humiliation.

Federal prosecutors revealed that some of the officers even gave themselves the nickname "Goon Squad," reflecting their inclination to use excessive force, including an assault that concluded with a deputy shooting one victim in the mouth. These officers had already confessed to their actions in a connected federal civil rights case.

Details of the torture

In January, the officers unlawfully entered a residence without a warrant and subjected the two Black men to a horrifying 90-minute torture session involving stun guns, a sex toy, and other objects.

Throughout this ordeal, the officers continuously used racial slurs to demean the victims. To further cover up their actions, the officers planted drugs and a gun on the victims, leading to false charges that persisted for months.

Conspiracy unraveled

The officers' conspiracy began to unravel when one of them confessed to lying, prompting confessions from the other officers. It wasn't until June that the charges against the victims were dropped, following the involvement of both federal and state investigators.

Guilty pleas

The six former officers pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and conspiracy to hinder prosecution, with two of them also admitting to home invasion charges.

They have agreed to sentences recommended by state prosecutors, which range from five to 30 years. However, the judge is not bound by these recommendations. The time served for the state convictions will be concurrent with the potentially longer federal sentences to be imposed in November.

Impact on victims

The victims, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker were present at the hearing and sat just a few feet away from the families of their attackers. The charges against the victims were dropped after federal and state investigators intervened.

“I enjoyed the view of seeing the walk of shame. Head down, the disgust everybody felt for them and that they feel for themselves,” Parker said, adding, “I hope this is a lesson to everybody out there: Justice will be served.”

Monica Lee, the mother of Damien Cameron, another Black man who passed away while in Elward's custody in 2021, was also present during the hearing of the case.

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Lee allegedthat an officer, not linked to this case, was responsible for her son's death.

In a separate incident, Carvis Johnson, the Black man who reported another deputy putting a gun in his mouth, lodged a federal lawsuit from inside prison. Johnson alleges that McAlpin assaulted him during an arrest and instructed him to avoid Rankin County.

Additionally, Jenkins and Parker are seeking $400 million in damages through a federal civil rights lawsuit against Rankin County.

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