Ex-Mississippi Deputy Seeks Reduced Sentence in Racial Torture Case

In a case that has reignited discussions about racial injustice in Mississippi, a former sheriff's deputy is seeking a reduced federal prison sentence for his involvement in the torture of two Black men. This incident, which occurred approximately 19 months ago, has drawn sharp criticism from top U.S. law enforcement officials, including Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Brett McAlpin, once the chief investigator for the Rankin County Sheriff's Department, is one of six white former law enforcement officers who admitted guilt in 2023 to unlawfully entering a home and subjecting two individuals to hours of brutal treatment. The officers received sentences ranging from 10 to 40 years in March 2024, with McAlpin receiving the second-longest term of about 27 years.

McAlpin's attorney, Theodore Cooperstein, has filed an appeal to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that his client's sentence was "unreasonable" given his peripheral role in the incident. Cooperstein contends that McAlpin remained in his vehicle while other officers carried out the torture of Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker.

"This was all wrong, very wrong. It's not how people should treat each other and even more so, it's not how law enforcement should treat people. I'm really sorry for being a part of something that made law enforcement look so bad."

The horrific events unfolded on January 24, 2023, when a white individual contacted McAlpin about two Black men staying with a white woman in Braxton. This led to the involvement of a group of white deputies known as "The Goon Squad," infamous for their willingness to use excessive force.

This case has drawn parallels to Mississippi's troubled history of racial violence. The state, which joined the Union on December 10, 1817, as the 20th state, has long grappled with issues of racial inequality. It has the highest percentage of African American residents of any U.S. state and was a focal point of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.

Prosecutors, including Christopher Perras, have argued for substantial sentences, describing McAlpin as a figure who "molded the men into the goons they became." The severity of the crimes led U.S. District Judge Tom Lee to impose sentences near the top of federal guidelines for five of the six men involved.

The case has also highlighted ongoing efforts to address racial injustice in Mississippi. The state was one of the last to ratify the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, doing so only in 1995. It has a complex history, including being the site of the infamous 1955 lynching of Emmett Till.

As McAlpin, now 53, serves his sentence in a federal prison in West Virginia, his appeal underscores the continuing struggle for justice and accountability in a state deeply marked by its racial history. The outcome of this appeal may have significant implications for how similar cases are handled in the future, as the nation continues to grapple with issues of police brutality and racial discrimination.