JACKSON, Miss. — Two former Mississippi deputies were emotional in court as they received their sentences for their heinous acts of breaking into a home and torturing two Black men, along with other violent incidents. Christian Dedmon, 29, was sentenced to 40 years in prison, while Daniel Opdyke, 28, received a sentence of 17½ years. U.S. District Judge Tom Lee condemned their actions as shocking, brutal, and cruel.
The two victims, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, suffered at the hands of Dedmon and other officers during a violent attack in January 2023. Jenkins, who still struggles to speak after being shot in the mouth during the ordeal, expressed his anguish in a statement read by his lawyer, denouncing Dedmon’s actions as depraved.
Previously, Hunter Elward was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison, and Jeffrey Middleton received a 17½-year sentence by Judge Lee. All these individuals, including Opdyke and Dedmon, were serving as deputies in Rankin County at the time of the incident.
The former officers, including Brett McAlpin and Joshua Hartfield, admitted their guilt in breaking into a home without a warrant and torturing the victims, Jenkins and Parker, last year. The court heard harrowing details about the violent attacks, including incidents of racial slurs, physical assault, and mock executions.
Opdyke, overcome with emotion during his sentencing, expressed deep remorse for his role in the violence. He tearfully apologized to the victims and reflected on the harm he had caused. Jenkins and Parker, visibly distressed by the memories of the attack, shared their feelings of brokenness and shame in response to the officers’ cruel acts.
The case shed light on a culture of misconduct within the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office. The officers involved in the attack, self-proclaimed as the “Goon Squad,” faced consequences for their despicable actions. The victims, Jenkins and Parker, endured physical and emotional trauma as a result of the officers’ abuse of power and disregard for human rights.
The sentencing of the former deputies marks a step towards justice for the victims and their families, as they seek closure and accountability for the atrocities committed against them. The community remains vigilant in demanding transparency and reform within law enforcement agencies to prevent such heinous acts from recurring in the future.