In a disturbing case of police brutality, former deputies in Rankin County, Mississippi have pleaded guilty to a long list of state and federal charges for the torture of two Black men, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker. The incident, described by the sheriff as the worst case of police brutality he had ever seen, has prompted a civil lawsuit against Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey. However, Bailey's attorney has filed a motion to dismiss the $400 million lawsuit, arguing that the sheriff is entitled to "qualified immunity," a legal concept often used to shield police officers from civil penalties for alleged abuses.

The lawsuit, filed by Jenkins and Parker, alleges that the abuse they suffered was part of a larger problem of systemic brutality within the sheriff's department. Malik Shabazz and Trent Walker, the attorneys representing Jenkins and Parker, have called the motion to dismiss “meritless” and claim that the evidence shows the "Goon Squad," as the officers referred to themselves, engaged in a pattern of brutality that extended throughout Bailey's tenure.

The incident occurred in January when five white former Rankin County deputies and a police officer from a nearby department entered a house without a warrant after receiving a complaint about two Black men staying with a white woman. Over a 90-minute period, the officers handcuffed and assaulted Jenkins and Parker, using stun guns, a sex toy, and racial slurs. The horrifying ordeal culminated in former deputy Hunter Elward shooting Jenkins in the mouth during a "mock execution."

To cover up their actions, the officers planted drugs and a gun, leading to false charges that were held against Jenkins and Parker for months. It was only later that the conspiracy began to unravel when one of the officers confessed to lying, prompting confessions from the others involved. The officers, who referred to themselves as the “Goon Squad” due to their willingness to use excessive force and cover up their attacks, have been linked to at least four violent encounters with Black men since 2019, resulting in two deaths and lasting injuries.

One of the victims, Pierre Woods, was shot and killed by Rankin County deputies in 2019. A family member of Woods has sued Sheriff Bailey over his death, and court records show that a settlement agreement has been reached through mediation. However, the settlement still requires approval from a chancery court.

Bailey, who remained largely silent about the incident for months, promised to make changes within the department after the officers pleaded guilty to civil rights charges in August. In response to the civil lawsuit, Bailey's attorney, Jase Dare, contends that the plaintiffs do not allege personal participation by Bailey but rather a failure to adequately train the deputies. Dare argues that the department's internal policies show that the deputies received training that complied with the law, and he claims that the allegations are not enough to overcome qualified immunity and hold Bailey accountable for the deputies' illegal actions.

The law enforcement officers involved in the incident include former deputies Brett McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke, and the off-duty Richland police officer Joshua Hartfield. They have all agreed to sentences ranging from five to 30 years, although the judge is not bound by the recommendations. The defendants could face even longer prison sentences when they are sentenced in federal court in November.

The case has sparked outrage and brought attention to the issue of police brutality in Rankin County. It remains to be seen how the court will rule on the motion to dismiss the civil lawsuit against Sheriff Bailey, and whether justice will be served for Jenkins and Parker, as well as other victims of the "Goon Squad's" violence.