Six white former law enforcement officers in Mississippi have pleaded guilty to federal civil rights offenses against two Black men who were brutalized during a home raid that ended when an officer shot one of the men in the mouth.
I have to be blunt on my reaction to reading this article. This is one of those "There's no way that happened" stories. It just sounds too over-the-top to have actually happened.
Yeah, if their misconduct had been any less extreme/obvious, they'd probably plead 'not guilty' and get away with a slap on the wrist. Just my feeling..
they’d probably plead ‘not guilty’ and get away with a slap on the wrist.
Let's be clear - the only difference so far is the plea. Let's see what actually happens at sentencing.
And while I'm on my soapbox, I'm long past believing that a Police culture which discourages this sort of behavior would produce this sort of behavior as often as it does.
Reality is often stranger than fiction. This is the kind of story that would need to be toned down to be believable if it was turned into a TV series or movie.
“This is the most horrible incident of police brutality I’ve learned of over my whole career, and I’m ashamed it happened at this department,” Bailey said.
Liar. There's no way you have six deputies—forming a "Goon Squad"—and not have some idea of their depravity. Bailey is probably ashamed it went this far and got exposed. He probably thinks it'd be better if the deputies just had a bit of chill when brutalizing uppity Black people on the wrong side of the river. He's ashamed of their sloppiness.
And he'll probably win re-election by 87% again...