Mississippi Sheriff Fires Deputies Accused of Abusing Black Men Amid Federal Probe

The Mississippi Sheriff’s Department has taken action by firing or receiving resignations from all five deputy sheriffs involved in an incident where two Black men alleged they were subjected to physical abuse, sexual assault, and a gunshot wound to the mouth. The decision was announced on Tuesday.

The incident occurred several months ago when Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker claimed that deputies from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department forcefully entered a residence without a warrant. According to Jenkins and Parker, the deputies subjected them to beatings, sexual assault using a sex toy, and repeated electrocution with Tasers during an ordeal lasting approximately 90 minutes on January 24th.

Jenkins recounted that one of the deputies placed a gun in his mouth and discharged it, resulting in severe injuries to his face, tongue, and jaw. In response to this incident, the U.S. Department of Justice initiated a civil rights investigation into the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department.

Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey disclosed on Tuesday that the deputies involved in the episode had been terminated, with some having already resigned. However, he did not disclose the identities of the terminated deputies or provide specific details on the number of law enforcement officers affected. Bailey declined to answer further questions regarding the incident.

Bailey’s announcement follows an investigation conducted by Big Big News, which revealed that several deputies involved in the incident had also been connected to at least four previous violent encounters with Black men since 2019, resulting in two fatalities and another individual sustaining long-lasting injuries. It was determined that deputies who were members of the sheriff’s office’s Special Response Team, a specialized tactical unit, were involved in all four encounters.

The deputies claimed that the raid on Jenkins’ residence was prompted by a report of drug activity. However, records obtained by the Associated Press from police and court documents identified Hunter Elward and Christian Dedmon as two of the deputies involved in the Jenkins raid. It remains uncertain whether any of the deputies have legal representation available to provide comments on their behalf.

In a telephone interview, Jason Dare, an attorney representing the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, stated that the department was aware of five deputies participating in the Jenkins raid. Jenkins and his attorney contend that six deputies were present during the incident. However, all five deputies identified by the department have either been terminated or resigned.

No body camera footage of the incident exists. Records obtained by the Associated Press indicate that the deputies deployed Tasers, turning them on and off or utilizing them multiple times over a span of approximately 65 minutes before Jenkins was shot.

Jenkins and Parker have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, seeking $400 million in damages. In response to the termination of the deputies, their attorney, Malik Shabazz, issued a statement on Tuesday expressing appreciation for the officers’ dismissals and urging the state attorney general and the U.S. Department of Justice to pursue criminal indictments against the deputies.

“The termination of the Rankin County Mississippi Sheriff’s deputies involved in the torture and shooting of Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker is a significant step toward justice in one of the most appalling law enforcement tragedies in recent history,” Shabazz said. “Sheriff Bryan Bailey has finally taken action after endorsing much of the violence that has occurred under his leadership in Rankin County.”

Michael Goldberg is a corps member for the Big Big News/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mikergoldberg.

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• Mississippi sheriff fires deputies accused of abusing Black men amid federal probe
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• Investigation reveals previous violent encounters involving deputies
• Statement from Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey
• U.S. Department of Justice initiates civil rights investigation