Courtesy of NNPA
Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers were sentenced this week for torturing and abusing two Black men in Rankin County, Mississippi, in 2023. U.S. District Judge Tom Lee sentenced the defendants to prison terms ranging from 10 to 40 years.
Christian Dedmon, 29, former narcotics investigator of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO), was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Brett McAlpin, 53, former RCSO chief investigator, was sentenced to 27.25 years in prison.
Hunter Elward, 31, former RCSO deputy, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Jeffrey Middleton, 46, former RCSO lieutenant, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
Daniel Opdyke, 28, former RCSO deputy, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
Joshua Hartfield, 32, former narcotics investigator for the Richland Police Department, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Over three days in Jackson, Miss., federal court, the judge sentenced the officers, whom prosecutors derided as criminals who hid behind the badge to commit some of the most heinous and violent acts.
Prosecutors said the former officers were known as the “Goon Squad” because of their willingness to use excessive force and not report it. They were charged with heinous acts of torture and sexual assault perpetrated against two Black men, Eddie Parker, 36, and Michael Jenkins, 33, and an anonymous white victim.
The sentencing arrived months after a lawsuit by the victims that detailed how the officers illegally raided their home and handcuffed, kicked, waterboarded, sexually assaulted, and tased them over nearly two hours. One of the officers placed his weapon in Jenkins’ mouth and shot him.
Jenkins suffered severe injuries, leading officers to fabricate a self-defense story. Moreover, three deputies from the department pleaded guilty in a separate incident, underscoring systemic issues within the law enforcement agency.
“I’m so sorry,” Elward pleaded, looking out into the courtroom at victims Parker and Jenkins. “I don’t want to get too personal with you, Michael. There’s no telling what you’ve seen. I’m so sorry that I caused that. I hate myself for it. I hate that I gave you that. I accept all responsibility.”
Alarming accounts of ongoing abuse by Rankin County deputies over almost 20 years have surfaced, with victims recounting instances of handcuffing, torture, and beating, frequently in the course of making drug-related arrests. Despite numerous complaints and lawsuits against the department, including direct appeals to Sheriff Bryan Bailey, allegations remained largely unaddressed.
Many have expressed belief that the sentencing hearings will further unearth the extent of misconduct within the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, including the plight of Alan Schmidt, a victim who recently came forward to share his ordeal with the Goon Squad. Schmidt claimed that deputies falsely accused him of stealing and assaulted him physically, including by pressing a gun to his head and shocking him with a Taser.
District Attorney Bubba Bramlett has initiated a comprehensive review of cases involving “Goon Squad” members and state lawmakers have introduced legislation to bolster oversight of law enforcement agencies, signaling a potential paradigm shift in accountability.
“The very bad actions of the Rankin County ‘Goon Squad’ severely impacted me and left a scar on me forever,” Parker’s statement said, as read by attorney Malik Shabazz. “I don’t know if I will ever be able to sleep at night. I fear I will be attacked again and even killed.”
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