Mississippi Today did an excellent story on other abuses committed in Rankin County by sheriff's deputies, including some of the named Goon Squad members.
Also, a few choice snippets from this
article by Capital B:
And, a few choice links while I was reading up on this:
- Excellent CNN article that goes into the emotion behind all of this. Expands on statements from the victims, perpetrators, and their respective families.
- A Fifth Circuit Court brief that describes another time (2010) Brett McAlpin made unlawful and warrantless entry to a home, this time the incorrect home. The brief includes information on the decision that Brett McAlpin should be denied qualified immunity for unlawful entry and excessive force.
- The Justice Department's press release on the guilty pleas.
- The civil suit filed against the county, the sheriff, and 6 deputies.
- The Black Lawyers for Justice page on this incident. Attorney Malik Shabazz, the President of Black Lawyers for Justice, has been representing Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker in the federal lawsuit and for some other purposes.
- A plea to the DOJ for federal prosecution by the Black Lawyers for Justice.
Everything about this case is shocking. LE sent
6 officers to a house because several (2) black men were there with a white woman. They then entered without a warrant, without knocking, and without any reason to think that doing so would increase the safety of the LEOs or the hypothetical white woman victim. Upon entering, they had no reason to believe the two men were "bad guys," but nevertheless decided to torture them. One deputy pulled a bullet out of his gun so he could pretend to shoot one of the men, and for some reason
fired twice, actually shooting the man in his mouth and through his neck. The Goon Squad is accused of doing things like this before, with apparently no consequences.
THEN one of them blows the whistle, and ultimately
all 6 LEOs plead guilty. I've never heard of LEOs pleading guilty like this, but some of them seem to feel real remorse. And then one of the victims, Michael Parker, shows extreme grace to the man who shot him by telling him he forgives him, while still firmly believing that he should face harsh punishment.