Former Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Plead Guilty to Torture and Brutality in Historic Case Against Black Victims

Six former law enforcement officers in Mississippi pleaded guilty to state charges tied to a home raid during which they beat and tortured two Black men. The guilty pleas come after the officers pleaded guilty to federal civil rights offenses related to the raid, where one victim was shot in the mouth and the other had a sex toy forced into his mouth.

The officers attempted to cover up the attack by destroying evidence and planting a gun at the scene. State prosecutors recommended sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years in prison, while the federal sentences could be more severe, potentially including life imprisonment.

The two Black men filed a federal lawsuit against the officers in June, accusing them of racially motivated abuse and torture. The officers involved had a history of violence targeting Black men, and they referred to themselves as members of the "goon squad" for their willingness to use excessive force and not report it.

The guilty pleas represent the first time in Mississippi history that a white law enforcement officer has been held criminally accountable for police misconduct against a Black person.