Former Mississippi Rankin County Sheriff’s Deputy Hunter Elward has been handed down a 20-year sentence for his part in a chilling ordeal that’s shaken people to the core. It revolves around the inhumane treatment of two Black men, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, who endured a nightmare at the hands of Elwood and five other officers.
The group of officers, dubbed the “Goon Squad,” stormed into a home uninvited and without a warrant, targeting Jenkins and Parker with cruelty from stun guns to a sex toy. Their methods of torture were racially charged, all sparked by a complaint of the men’s presence in a house with a white woman.
Southern District of Mississippi U.S. District Court Judge Tom Lee didn’t hold back in condemning Elwood’s actions, labeling them egregious and despicable. As we await the sentencing of the remaining officers, the community is watching closely.
Jenkins and Parker have not only called for the maximum sentences, but are also pushing for the resignation of Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey and are seeking a $400 million civil lawsuit against the department.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.