Warning: This article contains graphic details that may be disturbing to some readers.
Five Rankin County, Miss. sheriff’s deputies no longer work for the department following the egregious accusations of sexual assault and violent torture by two Black men. According to ABC News, the two men have finally given their firsthand account of the incident and it’s more disturbing than you think.
Michael Jenkins, 32, and Eddie Parker, 35, hosted a press conference Thursday to announce a $400 million lawsuit against the deputies they say were involved in a botched raid that left them traumatized. The two said the five deputies along with one Richland police officer forced themselves inside their home for a drug raid but without a warrant the night of January 24. The lawsuit claims the Jenkins and Parker complied as the deputies handcuffed them but were repeatedly degraded with racial slurs. Unprompted, the men say the deputies began punching, kicking and Tasing them while they were already subdued.
That wasn’t even the worst part. The two were subject to “water torture” in order to illicit a confession, the suit claims. Upon searching the home, the deputies found various sex toys and attempted to sexually assault them. During the nearly two-hour long ordeal, Jenkins and Parker had defecated themselves to which the officers allegedly forced them to strip naked and shower together. Following that moment is when one deputy got in a heated interaction with Jenkins, shoved his gun in his mouth and fired.
The suit also claims the officers intentionally turned their body cameras off and stole video computer equipment from the home that may have recorded the incident.
Read more from ABC News:
The Richland County Police Department officer allegedly involved resigned after the incident, and last week Richland County Police Chief Nick McLendon announced former officer Joshua Hartfield was off-duty at the time of the incident.
“We must express our deepest disappointment that a member of our department is claimed to be involved in a situation that goes against our department’s commitment to serve and protect the public,” McLendon said in the release. “Upon receiving the information regarding the allegations against Hartfield, immediate action was taken in line with our strict standards of responsibility and accountability. Hartfield was placed on administrative leave, subjected to disciplinary action, and subsequently tendered his resignation from the Richland Police Department.”
Only three deputies - Hunter Elward, Brett Mc’Alpin and Christian Dedmon - were named in the lawsuit. The remainder are under “John Doe.” Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey said the department is cooperating the FBI and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation’s probe.
As for the men, Jenkins is leaving the state in fear of his safety.
“We believe that there are credible threats or risks to their safety, and we’re being very proactive to protect them,” said attorney Malik Shabazz.