Eddie Parker and Michael Jenkins Seek Justice in Federal Court Hearing for Torture by White Law Enforcement Officers

TFD – Follow Eddie Parker and Michael Jenkins as they seek justice in a federal court hearing against White law enforcement officers.

After trying for months to tell others about the horrific abuse and torture they suffered at the hands of six White law enforcement officers—which culminated in Jenkins being shot in the mouth—Eddie Parker and Michael Jenkins claimed they were frequently disbelieved.

Now, over a year later, the two Black men and their lawyer believe that justice may finally be served because this week’s federal court hearing for the White officers who tortured them for almost two hours is scheduled to take place. The maximum sentence for five of the cops is 20 years in jail, and the maximum sentence for the sixth officer is 30 years.

Parker remarked, “I’m here for a reason,” during a moving Monday interview with CNN. “I’m going to fight and I’m still here fighting.”

After the two men filed a federal civil rights complaint in June of 2023, details of the events on January 24, 2023, were eventually made public. Federal prosecutors confirmed many of the allegations in August after the six former Mississippi policemen entered guilty pleas to a total of 13 charges related to the two men’s torture and abuse.

“The day of justice has finally arrived for the Rankin County ‘Goon Squad,'” Parker and Jenkins’ main attorney Malik Shabazz declared on Monday. “It’s a significant day for accountability and against police brutality nationwide, not just for Mississippi.”

In Jackson on Monday afternoon, Parker and Jenkins, along by their families and legal representatives, gave a press conference prior to the federal sentencing hearings for the former police. Both victims claim that the former officers’ acts were driven by their own race. According to federal prosecutors, some of the officers dubbed themselves “The Goon Squad” because they were willing to use excessive force and not report it.

The maximum sentence is what we seek. Shabazz stated, “We want the sentences to be commensurate with the crimes because the entire country, the entire globe, the police, and the families are watching and they want justice.

Along with former Richland Police Department officer Joshua Hartfield, former Rankin County Sheriff’s deputies Hunter Elward, Brett McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Daniel Opdyke, and Jeffrey Middleton entered guilty pleas in August to charges of conspiracy against rights, deprivation of rights under color of law, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice pertaining to the incident.

This week, Parker and Jenkins are scheduled to give testimony in federal court.

Parker, who was seated next to Jenkins and Shabazz, told CNN that he was a “thornbush” and that “they took my roots, they took out my strength,” but he wouldn’t give up.

Donning a T-shirt featuring his own portrait beneath that of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old Black adolescent whose killing sparked the US civil rights movement, Parker fought back tears as he expressed his happiness at seeing justice served.

When asked about the significance of the shirt and the torture Till also went through before his death, Parker noted he didn’t know anyone whose face was on a T-shirt and was not dead. It’s an honor for me to be right here, he remarked, glancing down at the shirt. That’s something nobody can take.”

During the press conference, NAACP spokesperson Angela English also spoke and urged the judge to impose the maximum punishments. English remarked, “This is not 1964; this is 2024. We can’t erase Mississippi’s past, but we can move forward today and set a precedent that has never been set before.”

Shabazz emphasized the case’s importance as well as the penalties’ historical ramifications.

“Six police officers have entered guilty pleas and are being sent to court for sentencing at the same time, a first in the history of this state and the United States of America,” Shabazz declared.

He continued by saying that this instance in Mississippi is unique. “A lot of harm has occurred decade after decade in this state,” he continued.

Shabazz told CNN that on Friday, in advance of the Jackson sentence hearings, his team had a meeting with the Justice Department.

Shabazz told CNN on Friday that “Kristen Clarke, US Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, has just reached out to Michael Jenkins, Eddie Parker, and their families.” “Clark reaffirmed her dedication to civil rights and to eradicating racial intimidation in Mississippi under color of law.”

He went added, “We are incredibly grateful for her department’s historic legal efforts.”

Maximum terms are sought by federal prosecutors for former cops.

Tuesday is Elward and Middleton’s sentencing; on Wednesday it’s Dedmon and Opdyke; and on Thursday it’s Hartfield and McAlpin. The policemen are being sought the maximum terms by federal prosecutors.

Details about what the defense attorneys for the six men are seeking in their sentencing proceedings were not immediately available.

Elward is charged with the most serious federal offense related to the incident that occurred in 2023: discharging a firearm during a violent crime. The federal criminal paperwork indicates that he might spend up to 30 years behind bars. Hartfield, McAlpin, Middleton, Dedmon, and Opdyke could all spend up to 20 years behind bars.

In an interview with CNN on Monday, Shabazz stated, “I think the judge in this case is going to give out some strong justice,” and added, “The sentence that’s given to Hunter Elward, in particular, will send a sign of how the rest of the defendants will be sentenced and it will send a great sign of how serious the judge is about doing justice.”

The incident happened near Braxton, Mississippi, which is southeast of Jackson, on January 24, 2023. Jenkins and Parker filed a lawsuit alleging that the officers broke into their home, attempted to sexually abuse them for almost two hours, detained, kicked, waterboarded, and tased them. Eventually, one of the deputies shot Jenkins after putting a revolver to his mouth.

According to the lawsuit, the deputies “were oppressive and hateful against their African-American victims in their repeated use of racial slurs in the course of their violent acts.” “The race and skin color of the people the defendants attacked served as their motivation.”

At the press conference on Monday, Shabazz stated that their civil rights complaint is still pending and that the issues addressed by it “have not been resolved.”

The Justice Department is being asked to launch a practice or pattern investigation into wrongdoing at the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department by the attorneys for Parker and Jenkins. stated Shabazz.

He declared, “We firmly think that the ‘Goon Squad’ is not just the six officers who are going to be sentenced.” “We are aware of its depth.”

According to the Justice Department, three of the officers—Dedmon, Elward, and Opdyke—also entered guilty pleas in federal court to additional felonies connected to a different event that occurred in December 2022. All three men risk up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 punishment for deprivation of rights if found guilty on those counts. Due to the weapons accusation, Dedmon may receive a maximum term of life in prison.

In addition, the six former officers entered guilty pleas to state crimes pertaining to the same incident that occurred in January 2023. The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office stated that conspiracy to obstruct justice was the charge brought against each of the officers.

Elward faces charges of both aggravated assault and house invasion, while Dedmon faces charges of just the former. An additional accusation of first-degree obstruction of justice is pending against McAlpin, Middleton, Opdyke, and Hartfield. They are awaiting the state charges’ punishment.

Jade Gordon of CNN contributed to this article.