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https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/14/us/mississippi-goon-squad-cops-guilty-plea/index.html

6 ex-officers, some of whom called themselves The Goon Squad, plead guilty to state charges in torture of 2 Black men

Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers pleaded guilty Monday to all state charges against them stemming from the torture and abuse of two Black men earlier this year.

Their pleas Monday came days after the former officers five of them deputies for the Rankin County Sheriffs Office, the sixth an officer for the Richland Police Department pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection to the same January 2023 incident.

Former deputies Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton and Daniel Opdyke and ex-police officer Joshua Hartfield were each charged with conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, according to a news release from the Mississippi Attorney Generals Office.

Additionally, Dedmon was charged with home invasion and Elward was charged with home invasion and aggravated assault, the release says. McAlpin, Middleton, Opdyke and Hartfield each faced an additional charge of first-degree obstruction of justice.

All six pleaded guilty last week to federal charges stemming from the January 24 incident, in which US prosecutors said the former officers kicked down the door of a home in Braxton, Mississippi, where the Black men were living and assaulted them for two hours.

The officers did not have a warrant, and some called themselves The Goon Squad because of their willingness to use excessive force and not to report it, according to a federal charging document.

The six officers were charged with a combined 13 felonies in connection with the torture and physical abuse of the two men that night, the Justice Department said in a news release.

The victims, Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker, filed a federal lawsuit in June, alleging the officers illegally entered their home and handcuffed, kicked, waterboarded and tased them and attempted to sexually assault them across nearly two hours, before one of the deputies put a gun in Jenkins mouth and shot him.

Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey announced in June deputies had been fired, though he did not say how many nor their names. The Richland Police Department announced in July that Hartfield who was off-duty at the time of the alleged assault had resigned.

CNN has reached out to attorneys for each of the men for comment but did not receive a response from those representing McAlpin and Dedmon. Attorneys for Middleton, Elward and Hartfield declined to comment.

An attorney for Opdyke said the former officer has admitted to his wrongdoing and will plead guilty to all charges against him in Rankin County Circuit Court on August 14.

He takes responsibility for his part in the horrific harms perpetrated on Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Parker, the victims, and is prepared to face the consequences of his misconduct, reads a statement to CNN from Opdykes attorney, Jeffery Reynolds