Daniel Opdyke and Christian Dedmon, two former sheriff’s deputies in Mississippi, were sentenced to jail on Wednesday for the 2023 torture of two black men. They were part of the self-described “Goon Squad” in Rankin County.
U.S. District Judge Tom Lee sentenced former deputy Christian Dedmon to 40 years in federal prison on Wednesday afternoon for his role in the long-term beating and torture of Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Parker.
“Make a difference” was Dedmon’s reason for becoming a police officer. He wished he could take back the harm he caused. Federal prosecutors said Dedmon was the most evil of the six cops on the “Goon Squad” and has a history of using too much force.
Out of the six cops charged with torturing the two men, the 29-year-old Dedmon received the longest sentence. After pleading guilty to plotting to obstruct justice and home invasion charges in August, Dedmon also admitted to sexually assaulting one of the men. The state court is currently awaiting the imposition of his sentence.
Lee sentenced Opdyke to 17-and-a-half years in prison earlier Wednesday. Additionally, Opdyke must seek treatment for his mental health and drug issues, as well as pay $79,500 to the affected parties.
On Tuesday, two more ex-deputies received their sentences. Hunter Elward received a 20-year jail sentence. Jeffrey Middleton spent more than 17 years in prison.
Joshua Hartfield and Brett McAlpin, the final two former agents, will receive their sentences on Thursday.
Elward expressed regret upon receiving his sentence on Tuesday. After Elward said sorry, Jenkins told CNN that it didn’t mean anything. Parker said he forgives him.
Middleton also said sorry.
However, Mark Shabazz, reading Parker’s victim’s statement in court, stated that Parker doesn’t believe Middleton felt bad about what he did.
In August, all six men pleaded guilty in federal court to plot against rights, deprivation of rights under color of law, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice.
The six ex-deputies broke into a private home in Braxton, Miss., without a search last year and beat up two black men for about 90 minutes, shocking them with a Taser more than a dozen times and calling them racial slurs.
As a mistake, Elward shot Jenkin in the mouth during a fake execution, damaging it permanently.
Both men had guns pointed at them.
He fired the guards in June 2023 because they had done bad things to Jenkins and Parker.
The victims filed a $400 million lawsuit, alleging that their imprisonment and torture were unjustified.
The claim states that they waterboarded the men, punched them while handcuffed and naked, and attempted to sexually assault them. They also received a shot and a Taser charge.
