JACKSON, Miss. – The Justice Department has initiated a civil rights investigation into a Mississippi sheriff’s department over a horrifying incident where two Black men were subjected to a racist attack involving beatings, stun guns, and sexual assault before one victim was shot in the mouth, as revealed by officials on Thursday.
The investigation will focus on whether the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department has a history of employing excessive force, conducting unlawful stops, searches, and arrests, and utilizing racially discriminatory policing practices, according to Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke.
In a shocking turn of events, five Rankin sheriff’s deputies pleaded guilty in 2023 to breaking into a home without a warrant and subjecting Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker to a brutal assault that lasted for hours. Additionally, a sixth officer from the Richland Police Department was also convicted for his involvement in the attack.
These officers, part of a group that dubbed themselves as the Goon Squad, were handed significant sentences in March, ranging from 10 to 40 years. This came to light following an extensive investigation by the Associated Press in March 2023, linking some of these officers to violent incidents that resulted in the deaths of two Black men since 2019.
Clarke expressed concerns about the continuous misconduct within the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, highlighting incidents of officers overusing stun guns, making unlawful entries into homes, using racial slurs, and employing cruel tactics to mistreat individuals in their custody.
The gruesome attack on Jenkins and Parker commenced with a racially motivated call for violence, leading to a series of dehumanizing acts by the officers, including physical and verbal abuse.
The attorneys for Jenkins and Parker emphasized that the abusers faced severe consequences for their actions, marking a departure from Mississippi’s dark history of racially motivated atrocities committed by those in power. U.S. District Judge Tom Lee described the former officers’ conduct as “egregious and despicable,” imposing sentences near the top of federal guidelines for five of the six convicted individuals.
Malik Shabazz and Trent Walker hailed the Justice Department’s decision to launch a civil rights investigation into the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, calling it a crucial step towards addressing years of constitutional violations. They pointed fingers at Sheriff Bryan Bailey for failing to supervise the department effectively.
Moreover, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department becomes the 11th law enforcement agency in the U.S. to come under scrutiny from the Justice Department since 2021, illustrating the widespread nature of misconduct within law enforcement.
The U.S. attorney for the southern district of Mississippi, Todd Gee, revealed disturbing text messages exchanged by members of the Goon Squad, indicating a culture of excessive force and dehumanization of residents in Rankin County. Gee emphasized the need for transparency and accountability to bring about meaningful change.
This investigation serves as a critical step towards shedding light on past injustices, redefining law enforcement practices, and fostering a more just and equitable community for all.
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Associated Press writer Michael Goldberg contributed.
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