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2 Black men tortured by Mississippi officers call for toughest sentences

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2 Black men tortured by Mississippi officers call for toughest sentences


JACKSON, Miss. — Two Black men who were tortured by six Mississippi law enforcement officers last year called Monday for a federal judge to impose the strictest possible penalties at their sentencings this week.

The former law officers admitted in August to subjecting Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker to numerous acts of racially motivated, violent torture.

Prompted by a neighbor’s complaint in January 2023 that Jenkins and Parker were staying in a home with a white woman, the group of six burst in without a warrant and assaulted Jenkins and Parker with stun guns, a sex toy and other objects.

After a mock execution went awry when Jenkins was shot in the mouth, they devised a coverup that included planting drugs and a gun. The Rankin County Sheriff’s Department then supported the deputies’ false charges, which stood against Jenkins and Parker for months.

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U.S. District Judge Tom Lee will sentence two defendants each day, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after twice delaying the proceedings.

An attorney for Jenkins and Parker called Monday for the “stiffest of sentences.”

“Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker continue to suffer emotionally and physically since this horrific and bloody attack by Rankin County deputies,” Malik Shabazz said in a statement. “A message must be sent to police in Mississippi and all over America, that level of criminal conduct will be met with the harshest of consequences.”

Jenkins and Parker were scheduled to address reporters on Monday afternoon.

The officers charged include former Rankin deputies Bret McAlplin, Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Jeffrey Middleton and Daniel Opdyke, and Joshua Hartfield, a former Richland police officer. They pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy against rights, obstructions of justice, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm under a crime of violence, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

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Most of their lawyers did not immediately respond to emails requesting comment Monday. Jason Kirschberg, representing Opdyke, said “Daniel has accepted responsibility for his actions, and his failures to act. … He has admitted he was wrong and feels deep remorse for the pain he caused the victims.”

The former lawman agreed to prosecutor-recommended sentences ranging from five to 30 years, although the judge isn’t bound by that agreement. Time served for separate convictions at the state level will run concurrently with the potentially longer federal sentences.

An investigation by The Associated Press published in March 2023 linked some of the deputies to at least four violent encounters with Black men since 2019 that left two dead and another with lasting injuries.

Shabazz said the false charges against the victims weren’t dropped until June. That’s when federal and state investigators began to close in on the deputies, and one of them began talking. They were fired shortly thereafter, and prosecutors announced the federal charges in August.

Prosecutors say some of the officers nicknamed themselves the “Goon Squad” because of their willingness to use excessive force and cover up attacks.

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Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey called the crimes by his deputies the worst case of police brutality he had ever seen. For months, Bailey said little about the episode. After the officers pleaded guilty in August, Bailey said the officers had gone rogue and promised to change the department.

Jenkins and Parker have called for his resignation, and they have filed a $400 million civil lawsuit against the department.



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Mississippi

Seven Killed, Dozens Injured When Bus Flips in Mississippi

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Seven Killed, Dozens Injured When Bus Flips in Mississippi


A commercial passenger bus driving through Mississippi on its way to Mexico ran off a highway and overturned early Saturday, killing seven people and injuring dozens. The accident occurred on Interstate 20 east of Vicksburg, CNN reports. A total of 37 people were taken to hospitals in Vicksburg and Jackson, the Mississippi Highway Patrol said. A 6-year-old boy and his 16-year-old sister were among those killed, per the AP. “Anytime you have people injured or killed, it’s tragic, but when you have a situation like this where you have multiple fatalities and multiple injuries, it makes it even worse,” said Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace.

The bus, a 2018 Volvo, is owned by Autobuses Regiomontanos, which transports passengers between Mexico and the US, a company spokesperson said. The company is based in Monterrey, Mexico, Miranda Fernandez said. Its website lists several US locations; it’s not clear where the trip had originated. “All of the passengers go through proper immigration checkpoints and must show their passports or visas to enter either Mexico or the United States,” Fernandez told CNN. (More bus accident stories.)

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What channel is Mississippi State football vs EKU on today? Time, TV schedule for Week 1 game

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What channel is Mississippi State football vs EKU on today? Time, TV schedule for Week 1 game


Mississippi State football opens the 2024 season with FCS opponent Eastern Kentucky on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.

The Bulldogs open Year 1 of the Jeff Lebby era with a lot of unknowns. Saturday’s game will be a good chance to find some answers.

Mississippi State QB Blake Shapen will make his first start in maroon and may have a big season in Lebby’s offense.

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Here’s how to watch the Mississippi State football vs. Eastern Kentucky game today, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:

Mississippi State vs. EKU will broadcast nationally via streaming on SEC Network+ and ESPN+ in Week 1 of the 2024 college football season. Kevin Fitzgerald and Charlie Strong will call the game from the booth at Davis Wade Stadium. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming service.

  • Date: Saturday, Aug. 31
  • Start time: 5 p.m. CT

The Mississippi State football vs. Eastern Kentucky game starts at 5 p.m. CT Saturday from Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.

Clarion Ledger reporter Sam Sklar’s prediction: Mississippi State 50, Eastern Kentucky 10

Saturday will be a celebration of sorts for Lebby’s first game. The Bulldogs will come out hungry with something to prove on offense after last season. MSU will grab a big lead early and Blake Shapen won’t need to play a single snap in the fourth quarter.

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Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, Aug. 29

  • Odds: N/A
  • O/U: N/A
  • Money line: N/A
  • Aug. 31:  EKU, 5 p.m. on ESPN+ and SEC Network+
  • Sept. 7:  at Arizona State, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
  • Sept. 14:  Toledo, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU
  • Sept. 21:  Florida, 11 a.m. on ABC or ESPN
  • Sept. 28:  at Texas, TBD
  • Oct. 5:  OPEN DATE
  • Oct. 12:  at Georgia, TBD
  • Oct. 19:  Texas A&M, TBD
  • Oct. 26:  Arkansas, TBD
  • Nov. 2:  UMass, 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network
  • Nov. 9:  at Tennessee, TBD
  • Nov. 16:  OPEN DATE
  • Nov. 23:  Missouri
  • Nov. 29: at Ole Miss, 2:30 p.m. on ABC and ESPN+
  • Dec. 7: SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, 4 p.m. on ABC
  • Record: 0-0
  • Aug. 31:  Mississippi State, 5 p.m. on ESPN+ and SEC Network+
  • Sept. 7:  at Western Kentucky, 6 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Sept. 14:  West Georgia, 5 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Sept. 21:  Morehead State, 5 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Sept. 28:  Robert Morris, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Oct. 5:  OPEN DATE
  • Oct. 12:  at Southern Utah, 3 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Oct. 19:  at Abilene Christian, 3 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Oct. 26:  Utah Tech, 2 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Nov. 2:  at Tarleton State, 6 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Nov. 9:  Central Arkansas, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Nov. 16:  at Austin Peay, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Nov. 23:  North Alabama, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
  • Record:  0-0

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Man shot by Alabama deputies after fleeing Mississippi roadblock, officials say

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Man shot by Alabama deputies after fleeing Mississippi roadblock, officials say


An investigation is ongoing after a 53-year-old man was shot by sheriff’s deputies in north Alabama.

The shooting happened late Thursday into early Friday when Colbert County deputies were assisting Mississippi law enforcement officers in a car chase that crossed over into Alabama, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agent.

ALEA Lt. Jeremy Burkett identified the wounded man as John William Griffin. He lives in Iuka.

The pursuit ultimately ended on Daryl Lane in Leighton in Colbert County, Burkett said

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Griffin was airlifted to Huntsville Hospital. His condition has not been released.

Colbert County Sheriff Eric Balentine told WAFF that Griffin refused to stop at a random police roadblock in Tishomingo County, Mississippi.

Balentine said Griffin fired on officers and deputies and was shot in return fire.

Burkett said no officers were injured.

Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be turned over to the Colbert County District Attorney’s Office.

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