Former Mississippi law enforcement officers receive sentence for torturing 2 Black men
The charges stem from a disturbing episode that unfolded in Jan. 2023, when the group of six former officers barged into a Rankin County home without a warrant
Six former law enforcement officers in Mississippi, who admitted to a series of horrific acts of racially motivated torture against two Black men, are set to face sentencing by a federal judge starting Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Tom Lee will preside over the proceedings, scheduled for three days, with each defendant facing the prospect of decades behind bars.
The charges stem from a disturbing episode that unfolded in Jan. 2023, when the group of six former officers barged into a Rankin County home without a warrant, unleashing a barrage of violence against Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker.
The victims were subjected to a barrage of abuses, including assault with stun guns, a tool suggestive of sexual activity, and other objects.
The ordeal, initiated by a racist call for extrajudicial violence, saw the victims handcuffed, doused with milk, alcohol, and chocolate syrup, and forced to strip naked and shower together to conceal the evidence of the attack.
Racial slurs were hurled at the victims, who were also subjected to electric shocks. The situation escalated tragically when a mock execution went wrong, resulting in Jenkins sustaining a lacerated tongue and broken jaw.
In the aftermath, false charges were levied against Jenkins and Parker, who endured months of legal strife before the truth came to light. Their attorney, Malik Shabazz, emphasized the significance of the sentencing hearings, asserting that they could have far-reaching implications beyond Mississippi.
The former officers, including individuals from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department and the Richland Police Department, pleaded guilty to a litany of charges, including conspiracy against rights, obstruction of justice, and deprivation of rights under color of law. Despite their pleas, the gravity of their offenses has drawn widespread condemnation.
While some attorneys representing the defendants have expressed remorse on behalf of their clients, the severity of the crimes has prompted federal prosecutors to seek stringent penalties. Some defendants could face decades in prison and hefty fines if convicted on federal charges.
The case has cast a spotlight on the racial dynamics of law enforcement in Mississippi, where historical echoes of violence against Black individuals resonate deeply.
In the wake of the officers’ guilty pleas, calls for accountability have intensified, with demands for systemic reforms and the resignation of implicated officials.
Source: AP
