JACKSON, MS — Two Black men who were beaten and tortured by former Mississippi law enforcement officers now serving prison sentences — have come to a $2.5 Million settlement agreement with Rankin County — and many people have responded with outrage over the deal, which stemmed from a $400 Million lawsuit.
On Jan. 24, 2023, six white law enforcement officers — five from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office and one from the Richland Police Department –forcibly entered a residence in Braxton, Mississippi, without a warrant. Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker, who were inside the home, were subjected to nearly two hours of torture that included beatings, Tasering, racial slurs, and threating the men would be sexually assaulted with a sex toy.
The violence escalated when Deputy Hunter Elward performed a mock execution by shoving his firearm into Jenkins’ mouth and pulling the trigger, resulting in a gunshot wound that fractured Jenkins’ jaw and lacerated his tongue.
The officers, who referred to themselves as the “Goon Squad,” attempted to cover up their crimes by planting a BB gun and drugs at the scene.
In August 2023, the six officers pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations, including conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, deprivation of rights under color of law, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.
During sentencing hearings in March 2024, prosecutors emphasized the racial motivations behind the attack, noting that the deputies targeted Jenkins and Parker because of their race and perceived involvement in drug activity.
Elward received the longest sentence — 40 years for the shooting, while others faced terms ranging from 10 to 30 years. U.S. District Judge Tom Lee condemned the deputies’ actions as “egregious and barbaric,” stating that their conduct “shames the entire law enforcement profession.”
Per the Associated Press, the county’s insurance policy will cover $2 million of that payment, and the remaining $500,000 will be footed by the sheriff’s department, which is funded by taxpayer dollars. Taxpayers, however, will not pay for any increase to the department’s budget.
More on the settlement agreement and police brutality case.
