CNN
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Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers accused of torturing and abusing two Black men are set to appear in court Monday, when they are expected to plead guilty to state charges.
Former Rankin County Sheriff’s deputies Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton and Daniel Opdyke and ex-Richland Police officer Joshua Hartfield, have each been charged with conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, according to a news release from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.
Additionally, Dedmon is charged with home invasion and Elward is charged with home invasion and aggravated assault, the release says. McAlpin, Middleton, Opdyke and Hartfield each face an additional charge of first-degree obstruction of justice.
They are expected to plead guilty as part of a plea deal, according to Mississippi Deputy Attorney General Mary Helen Wall.
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 Opdyke’s attorney, Jeffery Reynolds.
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