The second punch of a one-two combination of justice landed against the Goon Squad in Rankin County Circuit Court late Thursday afternoon.
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch filed bills of information against Christian Dedmon, Brett McAlpin, Hunter Elward, Josh Hartfield, Daniel Opdyke, and Jeffrey Middleton in the Michael Corey Jenkins case. All Goons waived indictment and submitted petitions to plead guilty. The charges range from aggravated assault, home invasion to conspiracy and hindering prosecution. The various charges and sentence recommendations for each defendant are posted below.
The Justice Department and Mississippi Attorney General prosecuted the cases in tandem. The two agencies agreed the federal case would be presented first on Thursday morning. The Attorney General would file the state charges when the federal hearings concluded. Unlike past high-profile civils rights cases in Mississippi, the feds and state worked together to get justice for Michael Corey Jenkins and Edward Parker.
The cases are assigned to Circuit Judge Steve Ratcliff. He will accept the pleas and pronounce judgment on August 14 at 9 AM.
Brett McAlpin
Hindering prosecution in the first degree and Conspiracy to hinder prosecution in the first degree. The maximum sentence is 15 years for Hindering Prosecution in the first degree and 5 years for Conspiracy to hinder prosecution.
Attorney Aafram Sellers represented McAlpin.
Hunter Elward
Aggravated assault with a firearm, Criminal home invasion to terrorize, and conspiracy. Elward's petition to enter a guilty plea states:
The maximum sentence is 20 years for aggravated assault, 25 years for the home invasion charge, and 5 years for conspiracy. The home invasion charge has a minimum sentence of 10 years.
The Attorney Generals submitted these recommendations to the Court:
Count 1: 20 years with 5 years suspended
Count 2: 15 years with 5 years suspended
Count 3: 5 years
All sentences are to be served concurrently with each other and the federal sentences. Attorney Joe Holloman represented the defendant.
Christian Dedmon
Burglary/Home invasion with intent to terrorize and Conspiracy to hinder prosecution. The maximum penalties are 25 years for home invasion and 5 years for conspiracy.
Sentence recommendation:
Home invasion: 15 years with 5 years suspended.
Conspiracy: 5 years
Attorney Michael Cory represents Dedmon.
Jeffrey Middleton
Hindering prosecution in the first degree, Conspiracy to hinder prosecution in the first degree. The maximum sentences are 15 years for hindering prosecution and 5 years for conspiracy.
Sentence recommendation:
Hindering prosecution: 15 years with 7 years suspended.
Conspiracy: 5 years.
Attorney Carlos Tanner, III represents the defendant.
Kingfish note: Justice will finally be served upon Middleton after he avoided it for so many years.
Joshua Hartfield
Hindering prosecution in the first degree, Conspiracy to hinder
prosecution in the first degree. The maximum sentences are 15 years for
hindering prosecution and 5 years for conspiracy.
Sentence recommendation:
Hindering prosecution: 15 years with 10 years suspended.
Cospiracy: 5 Years.
The first charge will be classified as a crime of violence.
Attorneys Robert Lingold, Jr. and Victoria Giliam represent the defendant.
Kingfish note: A federal prosecutor said in court Thursday that Christian Dedmon was at a neighbor's house enjoying a barbecue when he got the call to mount up for a mission. The former Richland police officer was present at the barbecue and tagged along. That was one expensive barbecue.
Daniel Opdyke
Opdyke pleads guilty to Hindering prosecution in the first degree and conspiracy to commit hindering prosecution in the first degree.
Sentence recommendation:
Hindering prosecution: 15 years with 10 years suspended.
Conspiracy: 5 years to serve.
Attorneys Jeff Reynolds and Jason Kirscheberg represent Opdyke.
36 comments:
Is it all concurrent sentences of less length than the federal charges? If so, then it’s nothing. That would be on brand for Mississippi and will be a campaign problem for Fitch if she ever runs for higher office.
The state should add to these goons’ sentences. If they don’t, they are literally getting away with it under Mississippi law. Optics wise adding 3 years for all the goons to serve in Parchman after they get out of Club Fed would be much better for Fitch and wouldn’t make the state look like a bunch of white supremacists.
Ratcliff is under no obligation to accept the recommendations, but he probably will considering he’s part of the good ole boys. Hopefully Tom Lee, the federal judge, will hammer them pretty hard. And it won’t matter where in the federal system they go, it won’t be pleasant. Think white ex-law enforcement who tortured black men. They won’t do well at all.
6:17 I tend to agree Mississippi Time is warranted in addition to the Federal time. Even In federal prison they will need protection, they piss off one guard and their convictions will be prison knowledge. If they live they will come out crippled.
No state time for these criminals?
For abusing the citizens of Mississippi?
How convenient.
Mississippi justice seldom disappoints.
That's partly because you already know you shouldn't expect much from folk like Lynn Fitch.
The national coverage will eat this up though.
I wish their sentences ran consecutively in state prison instead of concurrently in federal prison. It sounds like they got a small blessing.
Anyway I hope their wives divorce them and their kids and family abandon them. There is no excuse for what they did and they can all rot in prison.
Y'all are always bitching about the cost of incarceration in MS prisons, so why not let the feds carry the load?
"Is it all concurrent sentences of less length than the federal charges?"
The federal sentencing isn't until November, and they're facing around 80-100 years.
But hey, don't let that get in the way of your bitching, bitching, bitching.
Lynn Fitch will only react if she thinks it will help her public
image.
I can say that ... as I had to work with her years ago.
It's all about her and new Furniture.
Will she be able to bundle this with the China suit?
I recommend they join a gangs and request general pop. In protective custody it’s too easy to bribe the guards. You have to fight to save your dignity.
Hated blacks, but used black attorneys?
Gah, lock ‘‘em up. So embarrassing AND CRIMINAL!
And after all the sentences are handed down, then the Big Media will let up on Mississippi.
@11:29
It’s doubtful since you can still drive all over Rankin and Madison counties and see the old state flag flying on a dilapidated residence where the occupants are stewing in hate and blaming others for their lack of success. Meanwhile everyone who can leave, is leaving.
@7:09 AM - Provide some addresses. We'll wait.
Kingfish it’s shameful that you won’t allow comments that discuss the Stankin 6’s motivation for this crime . Makes me wonder if you agreed with them ?
Just tossing this out there, but the interplay between the feds and MS could get interesting. Nothing I've seen precludes the feds from getting their conviction and sentencing them, handing them over to MS for sentencing, and once that has occurred, the feds/BOP waive any claim over them so they can serve their concurrent sentences in a MS prison rather than a federal one. If the feds have primary custodial jurisdiction and right of first bite, it doesn't force the BOP to accept them over MS's sovereign claims against them. Plus, I seem to recall that at least some of the time in state custody doesn't count toward any federal sentence. Wherever they serve what appears to many years, it isn't a bright future - as ye sow so shall ye reap.
Wow. Just wow. Because I won't allow your sexually vulgar comments means I am a sympathizer? Wow.
@August 6, 2023 at 8:35 AM there's a home next to a school in the county (I won't say much as the comment will probably be censored). People that live in the area are familiar with the property as the next property over is a trailer with an older gentleman that sits outside daily. My neighbor displayed his in his garage, and only recently took it down on his own accord.
It will be interesting Tuesday night to compare total votes vs. the number of votes Bailey. I for one won’t vote for him.
Make no mistake, without FED charges Tindell and Fitch bury this.
10:19
We are on the same page! I have thought that this will send a bigger message to Bailey than the few (very few) people still patting him on the back. I would push for a write In campaign but I doubt that has ever worked in Rankin county but it will still deliver a message of a failed leader. I wrote in Dean Scott on my absentee.
@8:35 Horseshoe drive in Fannin had one last time I visited my uncle.
There is nothing vulgar about it Kingfish, you’re just trying to control the narrative . Tell ‘em what motivated Dedmon to summon his crew.
Feds said in Court that a neighbor complained to McAlpin that black men were at the home behaving in a suspicious matter. Got some other evidence or someone who will go on record, let me know. Until then, not approving what you wrote earlier nor your prison rape fantasies.
@10:50 that's who my write in name is going to be also. Bailey needs to go.
Please clarify: I've read that a dildo was involved. Then I've heard a news report stating that a BBgun was used as a sexual penetration device.
Which is it? Facts are important.
Fitch would never have uttered a peep had the feds not run with this ball.
And Tindall, weak man that he is, would have buried it deeper than he tried to bury the story of the MHP bully harassing the young man in DeSoto County.
There is no requirement (or even a suggestion) that 'state sentencing' run concurrently with 'federal sentencing'.
What would be the point of such a requirement. What a stupid suggestion by whoever posted it.
@7:02, What? Didn't you forget the part about showers and soap? The punishment is the time in prison to which the convicted is sentenced and serves, period. Your desire that they also suffer divorce and abandonment by their families and children makes you every inch the lowlife you think the accused are.
@6:33
They have already accepted their federal plea deals. It is pretty common knowledge around the law enforcement/legal circle around here what they are getting. It ranges anywhere from 40 years for Dedmon to 6 years for Opdyke. It isn't going to go to a trail for the judge to "slam them".
5:53
The deputies put the dildo on the end of the BB gun , I’d recommend reading the indictment. kF posted it in an earlier post. It’s sick.
Saddest part is all the social media posting. These families probably have small children whose lives will be threatened and endangered through no circumstances of any wrong doing on their part. I for one would not want to see anymore innocent lives lost whether through suicide, murder or whatever means. Recall a HP officer in the MS Delta turning his own son in for the murder of a doctors daughter back over 40 years ago. I believe his son was on drugs. The officer moved after that because he loved the people of the Delta and thought we would not forgive him. God is the ultimate judge, with these families needing our prayer not judgement.
9:46 posted: "It isn't going to go to a trail for the judge to "slam them".
No trial is needed for the judge 'to slam them'. The judge will 'slam them' at sentencing.
The A.G. isn't 'going after' anybody. If there's low-hanging or fallen fruit to be had, she might dispatch one of her junior-legal-girls to seize it. And that will be only so she can claim some sort of credit as 'being involved'.
I think sexual assault should be included in these charges!
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