A former high-ranking Rankin County deputy and alleged ring leader of six officers’ violence and sexual assault against two Black men is appealing his sentence, despite pleading guilty on all charges.
Legal counsel representing Brett McAlpin, a “Goon Squad” member, appealed the former law enforcement officer’s recent state and federal sentencing. McAlpin is sentenced to just over 27 years in prison for deprivation of rights under color of law, conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, and counts of conspiracy of rights.
He is the officer believed to be the mastermind behind six officers busting into a Braxton home on January 24, 2023, and committing heinous acts of assault against Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker and the wrongful imprisonment of the two men.
Though McAlpin pleaded guilty to all charges in the case, he is legally entitled to an appeal and is looking to have his sentence reduced.
The full list of sentences for all the officers involved in the torturing of Jenkins and Parker — Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Joshua Hartfield, Jeffrey Middleton, and Daniel Opdyke — can be found here.
What happened?
According to statements by Jenkins and Parker, the deputies forcibly entered the Braxton residence without presenting a warrant on January 24, 2023.
Both men were immediately handcuffed before Dedmon, Elward, Hartfield, and Middleton began stunning Jenkins and Parker with Tasers, with the first Taser being used at 10:04 p.m. Documents show Tasers being turned on, off, or used over a dozen times for approximately 65 minutes after the first Taser was fired.
In total, the incident is estimated to have lasted for around two hours, with Dedman said to have waterboarded the two men with milk, chocolate syrup, and alcohol while Elward held Jenkins and Parker down.
Reports also state that Opdyke orally assaulted Parker and Jenkins with a sex toy before Dedmon threatened to anally rape the two with the object.
Court documents later revealed that Dedmon poured grease over Parker’s head while Elward threw eggs at both men. Parker and Jenkins were then ordered “to strip naked and shower off to wash away evidence of abuse” before Dedmon shot a bullet into the front yard.
Elward then placed the gun in Jenkins’ mouth after secretly taking a bullet from the chamber and pulled the trigger. The unloaded gun clicked but did not fire.
He then racked the slide, intending to dry-fire a second time, but the gun discharged when he pulled the trigger again. The gunshot left Jenkins with a broken jaw, lacerated tongue, and severe wounds in his neck.
Immediately after, the deputies left Jenkins bleeding on the floor to discuss a cover story and dispose of any evidence involved in the shooting. A gun was then planted on Jenkins while officers destroyed the home’s surveillance video footage, spent shell cases, and taser cartridges.
Jenkins was later transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), where his injuries were treated for several weeks.
The officers charged Jenkins with aggravated assault of a police officer and possession of a controlled substance, while Parker was given two misdemeanor charges for disorderly conduct and possession of paraphernalia. Documents show that the deputies planted methamphetamine on the two men before making the arrests.
In addition to filing false reports, the deputies are also being accused of submitting fraudulent drug evidence to the crime lab, making false statements to investigators, and pressuring witnesses to stick to the cover story.
Shortly after, the two men filed suit against the six deputies and demanded $400 million in punitive and compensatory damages from the sheriff’s department.
Jenkins and Parker also accused the officers of attempted murder, false imprisonment, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and six counts of deprivation of civil rights.
