In recent developments surrounding the alleged assault of two Black men by one officer and five deputies in Mississippi, national activists and local residents are calling for criminal charges to be brought against all parties involved. Eddie Terrell Parker and Michael Jenkins, accompanied by their attorneys and members of the community, are demanding the termination and prosecution of Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey for running a criminal police department that tortures Black people and American citizens.
According to the attorneys representing Parker and Jenkins, on January 24, five Rankin County deputies and one Richland Police Department officer entered Jenkins and Parker’s residence without a warrant. The incident resulted in both men being beaten, sexually assaulted with a sex toy, and shocked with Tasers for approximately 90 minutes while handcuffed. The officers even tried to sexually assault the victims with the sex toy and made them shower together. Additionally, eggs were thrown at the men, and Jenkins was shot in the mouth by one of the deputies. The deputies claim that they were performing a late drug raid.
Attorneys for Jenkins and Parker are pushing for the arrest and indictment of all six officers involved in the shooting of Jenkins and are urging criminal charges against these officers. Last week, former Officer Joshua Hartfield, who was implicated in the incident, resigned from the Richland Police Department. The department stated that immediate action was taken after receiving information about the allegations against Hartfield, including placing him on administrative leave and subjecting him to disciplinary action.
The Attorney General’s office, represented by Lynn Fitch, has declined to comment due to the ongoing investigation. Activist John C. Barnett called on Fitch to bring charges against the officers involved and investigate and charge Chief Bailey as well. Bailey allegedly failed to discipline and reprimand the defendants, as indicated by the lawsuit.
During the press conferences held outside the Attorney General’s office and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, Priscilla Williams-Till, a family member of Emmett Till and founder of the Emmett Till Justice for Families Foundation, voiced her support for the victims’ families. She spoke about the ongoing fight for justice and emphasized the need for accountability.
Sheriff Bailey announced last week that the remaining four Rankin County Sheriff’s Department deputies allegedly involved in the incident were terminated. The defendants named in the lawsuit filed by Jenkins and Parker include Rankin County Deputies Hunter Elward, Brett Mc’Alpin, and Christian Dedmon, as well as three unidentified deputies referred to as John Doe.
The incident is currently being investigated by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) and the Department of Justice. The FBI Jackson Field Office, along with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, has launched a federal civil rights investigation into the incident involving the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office.
Both Sheriff Bailey and Richland Police Chief McLendon have stated that they are fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation. Jenkins was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a controlled substance, while Parker was charged with obstruction of justice.
Moving forward, it remains to be seen whether criminal charges will be brought against all the parties involved. The community and activists are steadfast in their pursuit of justice for Parker and Jenkins, highlighting the importance of holding law enforcement accountable for their actions.
