Devendra Kumar
Six former law officers in Mississippi, all white, have pleaded guilty to state charges of torturing two black men in a racist assault. The officers, who had already admitted their guilt in a connected federal civil rights case, were part of a group known as the “Goon Squad” due to their willingness to use excessive force and cover it up. The assault took place in January when the officers, without a warrant, entered a house and handcuffed and assaulted the two men with stun guns, a sex toy, and other objects. During the 90-minute torture session, the officers used racial slurs and mocked the victims.
The officers devised a cover-up, planting drugs and a gun to lead to false charges that could have sent one of the victims to prison for years. Each of the officers reached individual plea agreements, with prison sentences ranging from five to 30 years. The time served for the state charges will run concurrently with their federal sentences, which they will receive in November.
The victims, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, were targeted because a white neighbor complained that two black men were staying at the home with a white woman. The officers warned the men to “go back to Jackson or ‘their side’ of the Pearl River,” referring to the capital city of Jackson, which has a high percentage of black residents. The two victims were caring for a paralysed woman, Kristi Walley, who has been a friend of Parker’s since childhood.
The Justice Department launched a civil rights probe in February, following an Associated Press investigation that linked some of the officers to violent encounters with black men since 2019. The mayor of Rankin County, where the assault took place, said that the police culture in the area gave officers “carte blanche” to abuse their power.
The victims, who have left Mississippi, expressed relief that at least one part of the justice system appeared to have worked. Mr. Parker said, “With a little fight, with a lot of fight, you can come out with the truth. And the truth always prevails over any lie or story you make up.” Mr. Jenkins, who has difficulty speaking due to his injuries, added, “As far as justice, I knew we were going to get it. But I thought it was maybe going to take longer.”
Kristen Clarke, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said that the officers fomented distrust within the community they were supposed to serve. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch stated that the abuse of power would not be tolerated.