Police ‘Goon Squad’ Receives Appropriate Consequences

In a disturbing and racially motivated incident, six white former Mississippi law officers have pleaded guilty to state charges for the torture and assault of two Black men. These same officers had already pleaded guilty to federal charges last week. Prosecutors have revealed that the officers referred to themselves as the “Goon Squad” due to their penchant for using excessive force. The assault involved one victim being shot in the mouth by a deputy, and the officers handcuffing and assaulting the two men with stun guns, a sex toy, and other objects. Racial slurs were used throughout the 90-minute torture session. In an attempt to cover up their crimes, the officers planted drugs and a gun, which resulted in false charges that could have sent one victim to prison for an extended period.

Months later, their conspiracy unraveled when one of the officers confessed to lying, which led to admissions of guilt from the others involved. Each officer has agreed to sentences suggested by state prosecutors, which range from five to 30 years, although the final decision lies with the judge. The time served for the state charges will be concurrent with their federal sentences, which will be determined later this year. In addition to the five former Rankin County sheriff’s deputies—Brett McAlpin, Hunter Elward, Christian Dedmon, Jeffrey Middleton, and Daniel Opdyke—one police officer from the city of Richland, Joshua Hartfield, is also implicated.

The victims, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, sat in the front row of the courtroom during the guilty pleas, shockingly close to their attackers’ families. Monica Lee, the mother of Damien Cameron, another Black man who died in 2021 after being punched and tased by Elward during his arrest, showed support for the victims by embracing them. Dedmon and Elward, who kicked in a door during the assault, also pleaded guilty to charges of home invasion. Elward faced an additional charge of aggravated assault for forcing a gun into the mouth of one victim and pulling the trigger, an act described by authorities as a “mock execution.” CNN provides a comprehensive account of the abuse suffered by these men and the officers’ attempts to conceal their actions. The assault was preceded by a group text message that asked, “Are y’all available for a mission?”