The Goons were sentenced this morning in Rankin County Circuit Court. The proceedings are posted below, courtesy of WAPT.
Circuit Judge Steve Ratcliff rejected the state's recommendation but accepted an amended recommendation. The prosecution recommended a combination of prison time and suspended sentences for the defendants. For example, the original plea agreement for Hunter Elward included a recommendation of 20 years in prison with 5 years suspended for aggravated assault. Judge Ratcliff said no to any suspended sentences even though they were all accompanied by a term in prison.
The hearing moved rather quickly as Judge Ratcliff sentenced the Goons in less than 20 minutes, whipping the defendants through his assembly line of justice. When it was over, they all went back to the their hellholes of their own making.
Brett McAlpin: 15 years in prison for hindering prosecution, 5 years in prison for conspiracy to hinder prosecution. Attorney Aafram Sellers represented the defendant.
Jeffrey Middleton: 15 years in prison for hindering prosecution, 5 years in prison for conspiracy to hinder prosecution. Attorney Carlos Tanner represented the defendant.
Christian Dedmon: Must serve 20 years in prison for burglary, 5 years for conspiracy to hinder prosecution. The sentences run concurrent with federal sentence. Attorney Michael Cory represented Dedmon.
Hunter Elward: 20 years in prison for aggravated assault, 20 years in prison for burglary, 5 years for conspiracy to hinder prosecution. Attorney Joe Holliman represented Elward.
Daniel Opdyke: 15 years in prison for hindering prosecution, 5 years in prison for conspiracy to hinder prosecution. Attorney Jeff Reynolds represents the defendant.
Joshua Hartfield: 10 years in prison for hindering prosecution, 5 years in prison for conspiracy to hinder prosecution.
51 comments:
Thanks Kingfish, appreciate the coverage! This has been the biggest story in Mississippi!
Isn't this basically just a meaningless show and a waste of taxpayer money since the sentences run concurrent with the federal sentences? It would appear they won't spend a single extra day in jail from the state charges.
Was Sheriff Bailey present in the court room for the sentencing? If not, he is a coward.
For me, the most confounding dilemma in this whole Goon Series of Events is how the fk these white officers thought they could torture a couple of mostly innocent black victims, justify it in their own minds and not subsequently be held to account by the testimony of the victims?
Bluntly, I have always known most cops capable of abusive behavior, whether MS, AZ, CO or any of my vehicle/bicycle/pedestrian ticket run-ins with them. But not torture.
So now I withdraw further into my anti-cop shell, whilst simultaneously wanting plenty of cops to pluck and jail the malevolent criminals amongst us, a few of whom have attacked me.
50 years ago I witnessed an impressive epiphany amongst Lakewood, CO cop qualifications. They had minimum two years junior college law enforcement degrees and dressed in sport coats. No bald heads-holding-sunglasses-with-rolled-short-sleeves-over-pumped-biceps-Nazi
-look. Very impressive and unforgettable.
11:43
No way in hell would he face those guys who got their marching orders from him!
11:18 AM - Not exactly meaningless. They will eventually get paroled and be on probation. If they have violate the terms of probation, the state could send them back to jail for violating the probation terms, and they would be subject to having to finish the complete length of this prison time. No new trial necessary. Same for the federal time.
I have a buddy who got out after 10 years on a 20 year 3-time loser sentence and was on "paper" with a no alcohol clause, got a public drunk, and had to do the other 10 years.
These are probably 50% or 25% sentences. 50% for aggravated assault and burglary. Not sure whether 25% or 50% for the hindering stuff.
Bye bitches!
Now round the rest of them up, including the Sheriff!
Now that this chapter is closed, what’s next to tarnish ( uphold) the reputation of Missippi? The Welfare Scandal , The Jackson Water Crisis and now this! What’s Next ? The world is watching.
Why no sexual battery charges? Why did the rankin DA recuse and not the rankin judiciary?
11:18 is right. Who cares if they get paroled early in state system? Fed time is at least 85%. If they had to plead to a state sex crime the time would be served day for day. So at 85%, Brett is looking at roughly 20yrs. He’d be in his 70s if he makes it out. Rankin didn’t do anything to him today, so why would they in 20years? Some of the others will be able to parole early if they stay clean.
And only 30 mins of sentencing for 6 defendants? Was there any argument for concurrent sentences or against it? Or were the defendants blessed with a concurrent sentence bc they were nice guys? Non-LEO Defendants with less severe criminal conduct get more time in rankin than these goons. Justice ie Just Us.
@ 12:10 Love it!
Do they have to serve day for day on federal charges? What is sad for families with minor children no social security benefits if parents are in prison I believe. All the while BB is drawing Full Salary while knowing exactly what went on. We all owe these innocent children better too! They will ask these questions one day.
@1:49 I'm with you -- it is sad and hard of their wives and children -- not their fault their dads were awful jerks! Glad they were sent away, but those wives and kids left in shambles. Hard not to feel sorry for them. Meanwhile Bailey doing just fine earning his nice salary!
the irony of goons sentencing the other goons
How many innocent people has that judge locked up on behalf of the goon squad?
That's a good point made earlier. Was Bailey there? He should have been. That would have made a statement. If he wasn't there that also made a statement.
We don’t owe their kids, the families and love ones should step up.
And the high little sheriff is free as a bird
These men should have been charged for their gang rape. Apparently cops are allowed to do that in Mississippi. It’s disgusting. Whoever prosecuted this is a sicko who thinks gang rape is no big deal. These monsters cannot be rehabilitated. Their kids likely can’t be rehabilitated. Their co-workers can’t be rehabilitated. Sweeping their gang rape under the rug doesn’t fix any of that.
@2:15 I have not even thought of that. It’s all around heart breaking. Bryan Bailey, shame on you. Can’t wait until Karma comes to you. Biggest Coward in Mississippi.
We are so blessed to have Attorney General Lynn Fitch. A strong woman for a tough job.
Yeah, uh, Attorney General Fitch, about your press conference...every news agency in the state plus several national news outlets has already reported the sentencing. You're a little late to get quoted in the story, but thanks for playing.
I think that I speak for a lot of us when I say that we would like to hear you give a press release on some criminals getting indicted that everyone in the State doesn't know about yet. Or, maybe, some criminals that we all know about (wink, wink) but they just keep getting away with it. Just sayin.
brian bailey has portrayed himself a a victim in this little cesspool.
if that's the case why wasn't he sitting in the courtroom along with the two real victims and their families?
at the conclusion of the video feed the cameraman panned the crowd on both sided of the rail and i didn't see him anywhere.
what's that old saying?........"conspicious by his absence",
he was probably at choir practice, all the while reminding everyone that he is ''the duly elected sheriff''.
Comments off in the Fitch post so asking here:
Didn’t her office initially sign off on the “officer-involved shooting?”
7:05
Do tell
@ 11:43 Nope Bailey was nowhere to be seen this morning at or near the Courthouse
Why are the comments off on Fitch statement? Were was she today? Hanging with the sheriff? Why didn’t she charge them with anything to do with the actual hate crimes and not just the cover up???? Yeah, some of the goons did, but all were there and participated in a sexual assault. So why weren’t all 6 charged with sexual battery and conspiracy to committed sexual battery? The State prosecution of this case was abysmal. It’s clear from this case alone that Mississippi still runs on the good ol boy system.
Thankfully the Feds stepped in. But for the Feds, these guys would be paroled and back working in 10years or less.
Come on JJ…
Those are a bunch of fat cops. How did they pass physical training?
Lil’ Bailey, your time is up. No way you will escape prison time. #LEOs that KNOW.
3:07 You are no better than the Goons if you don’t think we owe these children & Rankin County in pushing for removal of Bailey. Is this Bailey asking the question. We as taxpayers will All pay when lawsuits are awarded whether we like it or not! No one deserves what has gone on up to and including lying Brian Bailey. There is no way in Hell he deserves his salary with no Accountability! Are you one of his boys?
I think I was instructed to post Fitch comments over here, so...
She finally got around to the point she most wanted to make. Look at me. MY people cooperated and I am their leader. My people are under MY direction...
“Today’s sentencing marks the culmination of fifteen months of model cooperation between our Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. yada yada yada"
If there is one overarching takeaway from this mess, what would it be?
Why are the comments off on Fitch statement?
KF is a white knight
It is upsetting that these pathetic monsters were allowed to gloss over the sexual abuse they seemed so fond of.
Any non LEO would have faced sever charges related to that, it seems.
I am ashamed that I used to defend law enforcement so staunchly. I used to think the bad apples were rare but it is factually evident time and time again they are the norm.
The good ones exist but I suppose Baily would never hire such. Cant have decent folks when you plan to use them for such horrific deeds.
It's great that the AG found time between suing China and creating photo-ops to prosecute the goon squad, knowing that they would receive concurrent time with the federal sentences.
Or maybe I did it for convenience sake as they were on the same subject.
I wonder how many signatures of Rankin County qualified electors that huckster Shabazz has managed to secure on his Petition to Get Shabazz Paid ... I mean, his Petition to Remove Sheriff?
@7:59 - everyone forgets the full saying “one bad apple spoils the bunch.” It only takes one officer like Lyin Bryan Bailey to turn a police force into a terror squad.
$400,000,000 civil suit settlement = $2,547 from each and every resident of Rankin County.
Ol' Shabazz is looking at a huge payday.
30% = $120,000,000
25% = $100,000,000
20% = $80,000,000
Biden will forgive his tax liability if he makes an appropriate donation to the Marxist cause, right?
Stankin Rankin, have y'all filed for bankruptcy yet? Will the honorable Shire Reeve Bailey kick in a few Benjamins to help pay off the $400,000,000?
For those of you living in Rankin County, "Shire Reeve" (Old English) is the origin of the term sheriff.
Point #1 - KF clearly said at the bottom of the Fitch post to leave comments on this post. Not sure why all the confusion.
Point #2 - who gives a flying shit about AG Fitch's statement?! There was nothing earth-shattering or new in her statement. Just a summary of what we already knew and had heard.
Point #3 - Bailey needs to go!! In order for Rankin County to heal itself and move on from this awful tragedy, it needs a new sheriff. I hope the NAACP gets enough signatures on its petition to force Tater to make a decision on Bailey, and if so, we can only pray that he makes the RIGHT decision to remove him.
The jealousy of the open misogynist on this board, with their snide remarks, doesn't tarnish the shine of the outstanding job our attorney general is doing.
@11:58 - women who are terrible at their jobs aren’t above criticism. Lynn is a terrible attorney general. She is lazy, she doesn’t have good judgement, she isn’t very intelligent, and her only motivation is related to her career and political power.
Once all of our homes are sold off to investment companies we will look back on this period of lame duckness and say where was the attorney general when we needed her the most.
April 11, 2024 at 1:21 PM, your opinion. Yet, she has the position of the Attorney General, and you have? Oh yeah, you are an anonymous misogynist, on an internet chat board. Jealous much?
Does Lynn even know where China is on a map? Asking for a special agent in her office.
8:50
The NCAAP has 29,000 signatures
If you want the sheriff removed, a recall election should be used. It may be that a majority of the citizens don't agree with the removal of the current sheriff. That is the purpose of a democratic government, right, the will of the people?
9:12 AM, I hate to think there are still people living in Rankin county that want to keep the sheriff. Take a little time to think what all he has done to the county. He has put Rankin county in the same category as Jackson. A lot of people in Rankin county will not call the sheriff's office even when they need to because of what might be sent out to their house. If you think all of the goon squad is behind bars you are very wrong. They were the only ones who got caught. I sure hope no one who believes like you are my neighbors.
@2:01 - yes, it’s my opinion that I explained the reasoning behind. Now explain your reasoning for saying everyone who criticizes her is doing so because they hate women. I actually prefer women in politics to men, but I also prefer competent people who can represent the people effectively.
I’m not jealous of Lynn Fitch or any politician. I have no desire to be a political grifter, they generally disgust me. I think most Mississippians would have a hard time pointing out anything positive she has accomplished in her powerful and important role. Mississippi may not deserve anyone better than Lynn Fitch, but we should at least hope for better.
Wouldn't at least ONE of the Goon Squad members come forward and linked the sheriff to everything ever done by 'the squad'.
Unless that's already underway and confidential, it's not possible that none of them would implicate Bailey.
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