JACKSON, MISS. — Five former deputies and one former police officer in Mississippi pleaded guilty on Monday to state charges in connection with the abuse of two Black men, including one man who was shot in the mouth before authorities allegedly tried to cover it up.
The former deputies with Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, and a former officer with Richland Police Department, entered their guilty following their guilty pleas earlier this month on federal charges related to the alleged attack in January.
The former deputies Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton and Daniel Opdyke, and former police officer Joshua Hartfield, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, according to a news release from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.
Additionally, Dedmon was charged with home invasion and Elward was charged with home invasion and aggravated assault, the release says. McAlpin, Middleton, Opdyke and Hartfield each faced an additional charge of first-degree obstruction of justice.
The victims have said the January incident was racially motivated when law enforcement officers, some of which identified themselves as “The Goon Squad,” burst into the victims’ home without a warrant and allegedly tortured, and abused the men for two hours.
The officers also threatened to sexually assault the men with a sex toy, according to federal charging documents.
The men were tased multiple times and repeatedly called racial slurs. The officers also allegedly poured milk, alcohol and chocolate syrup in the victims’ mouths, according to the document.
More about the allegations and trial can be found here.
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