Mississippi Deputies Fired After Allegedly Torturing 2 Black Men for Hours

Several Mississippi deputies accused of forcing their way into a home and torturing two Black men have been fired.

According to CBS News, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker allege multiple law enforcement officers from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department beat, sexually assaulted and deployed their Tasers on them during a 90-minute encounter in January at a Jackson, Miss., home.

Citing a lawsuit, CNN reports deputies “forced their entry into the premises from several entry points without a warrant,” with no “reasonable suspicion or probable cause.”

The lawsuit filed earlier this month alleges the deputies shut off their body cameras and proceeded to hit them, the outlet reports.

“Throughout the nearly two-hour ordeal, the six deputies would punch and beat two handcuffed men at will, hurting and humiliating both Jenkins and Parker. Deputies also repeatedly and gratuitously kicked the men as if they were animals while they lay subdued and handcuffed,” the lawsuit states, per CNN.

The victims said they were waterboarded and called “vicious racial slurs,” including the n-word and “monkey,” the outlet reports, citing the lawsuit.

According to CBS, Jenkins accused one deputy of forcing his gun into his mouth and shooting him, causing serious facial injuries. 

Deputies claimed they were responding to a report of drug activity during the January raid, the outlet reports.

“Due to recent developments, including findings in our internal investigation, those deputies that are still employed by this department have all been terminated,” Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey announced during a press conference Tuesday.

“We understand the alleged actions of these deputies have eroded the public’s trust in our department. Rest assured we will work diligently to restore that trust. We’ve already taken actions to ensure we serve and protect the public while making sure the rights of all citizens are protected,” said Bailey.

“I believe in my heart that this department remains one of the best departments in our state and am committed to everything in my power to keep this department on the correct path moving forward,” he said.

The sheriff's office has not named the deputies, but attributing records obtained by the Associated Press and CBS named Hunter Elward and Christian Dedmon as two of the deputies involved.

It's unclear if they retained attorneys to comment on their behalf.

In a statement obtained by CBS, an attorney for the victims, Malik Shabazz said, "The firing of the Rankin County Mississippi Sheriff's deputies involved in the torture and shooting of Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker is a significant action on the path to justice for one of the worst law enforcement tragedies in recent memory."

The statement continued, "Sheriff Bryan Bailey has finally acted after supporting much of the bloodshed that has occurred under his reign in Rankin County.  The next credible and honorable step for Brian Bailey is to resign or to be ousted."

During Tuesday’s press conference, Bailey declined to resign.

An attorney for the sheriff’s office, Jason Dare, did not immediately respond to The Messenger’s request for comment.

A GoFundMe organized by Jenkins' mother and launched earlier this year to help cover her son's medical costs has raised more than $25,000.