One of the six former Mississippi officers who tortured and abused Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker, two Black men, in a January 2023 attack has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, per People.
Ex-Rankin County Sheriff’s deputy Hunter Elward, who shot a gun in Jenkins’ mouth during the attack, previously pleaded guilty to the discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, two counts of conspiracy to deprive rights and six counts deprivation against rights.
On Tuesday (March 19), Elward was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He faced a maximum of 70 years behind bars.
Elward was among the six officers, including Christian Dedmon, Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke, and Joshua Hartfield, who referred to themselves as “The Goon Squad” and attacked Jenkins and Parker on the night of January 24, 2023.
A white neighbor called McAlpin, asking if he and the squad were “available for a mission” before the officers entered a home where Jenkins and Parker were staying without a warrant. The officers went on to handcuff the two and assault them for 90 minutes. Law enforcement officers beat “Parker with wood and a metal sword, then poured milk, alcohol, and chocolate syrup over their faces before forcing them to strip naked and shower together.” Elward fired a gun in Jenkins’ mouth. Following the assault, officers attempted to cover up the incident, fabricating a narcotics bust by planting weapons and drugs.
Middleton is set to be sentenced later in the afternoon on Tuesday for conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to deprive rights, and three counts of deprivation against rights. McAlpin, Opdyke, Hartfield, and Dedmon, who all previously pleaded guilty in the case, are slated to be sentenced on Wednesday (March 20) and Thursday (March 21).
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