The Justice Department issued the following statement.
The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into Rankin County, Mississippi, and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD). Rankin is the state’s fourth most populous county, with a population of approximately 160,000. It is located about 30 minutes east of the state capital, Jackson, Mississippi.
The investigation will seek to determine whether RCSD engages in patterns or practices that violate the Constitution and federal law. The investigation will evaluate all types of force used by RCSD officers, including deadly force. It will also assess whether RCSD engages in unlawful stops, searches, and arrests in violation of the Fourth Amendment and whether RCSD conducts discriminatory policing in violation of the 14th Amendment, Title VI, and Safe Streets Act.
“The public is now well aware of the heinous attack inflicted on two Black men by Rankin County deputies who called themselves the ‘Goon Squad,’” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Those officers have since been convicted and sentenced, but we are launching this civil pattern or practice investigation to examine serious allegations that the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department systematically violates people’s constitutional rights through excessive use of force; unlawful stops, searches, and arrests; and discriminatory policing. These include allegations that Rankin County deputies have overused tasers, entered homes unlawfully, used racial slurs, and deployed dangerous, cruel tactics to assault people in their custody. We are committed to working with local officials, deputies, and the community to conduct a comprehensive investigation.”
“The violent, unlawful and racially charged actions of the so-called Goon Squad left lasting and damaging effects on the community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Since the Goon Squad’s sickening acts came to light, we have received reports of other instances where Rankin deputies overused tasers, entered homes unlawfully, bandied about shocking racial slurs, and deployed dangerous, cruel tactics to assault people in their custody. Based on an extensive review of publicly available information as well as complaints provided to us, we have grounds to open a pattern or practice investigation into the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department now. The Justice Department will conduct a comprehensive and fair investigation into allegations of racially discriminatory policing of Black communities, the use of excessive force, and violations of the Fourth Amendment.”
“The information we have learned to date about the conduct of some members of the Rankin County Sheriff’s office calls back to some of the worst periods of Mississippi’s history,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “We do not have to accept the old hatreds and abuse of the past. And we do not have to accept the false claim that safety comes at the price of illegal force and abuse of power. We will conduct an impartial and thorough review of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, and if we find violations, we will take necessary action to address them.”
This civil investigation is separate and independent from the federal criminal civil rights prosecutions of RCSD deputies related to the violent assaults of two Black men, Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker, at the hands of five white deputies.
The investigation will include a comprehensive review of RCSD policies, training, and supervision. The investigation will also examine RCSD’s systems of accountability. The Justice Department will reach out to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with RCSD. The Justice Department will also speak with RCSD deputies and leadership to hear their perspectives.
Before this announcement, the Justice Department notified Rankin County officials, who have pledged to cooperate with the investigation.
The investigation is being conducted pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The Act allows the Justice Department to remedy such misconduct through civil litigation.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi will jointly conduct this investigation.
Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Justice Department via email atcommunity.rankin@usdoj.gov or by toll free phone at (888) 392-8557. Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the Civil Rights Division’s new reporting portal, available at civilrights.justice.gov/. Individuals can also report civil rights violations to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at USAMSS.civilrights@usdoj.gov or (601) 973-2825.
Today’s announcement marks the 12th pattern or practice investigation into law enforcement misconduct opened by the Justice Department during this administration. The Justice Department recently completed an investigation of the Phoenix Police Department.
Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s police reform work can be found here.
30 comments:
The goon squad targeted whites at least as much as blacks. But it always has to be about race these days, and by "it" I mean everything.
This is good news! Terrible patterns have been there for too many years.
Sheriff Bryan Bailey is now Ben Dover Bailey.
It’s just astonishing to me that this only became a big deal once they harmed black people. No one cared when the victims were trailer park meth head whites.
The beginning of the end. $$$$$$$$.
There is one particular person at RCSO that i have been waiting to get Karma handed to them. waiting ONE year. Guess I'll be talking soon enough.....
@3:47 pm, a civil rights investigation can include potential violations of the civil rights of both blacks and whites.
It has nothing to do with blacks or whites. They are going after them for violating people's constitutional rights whether they be black or white. White people can have their rights violated also. If you read the article they will be going after unlawful searches and traffic stops. Those affect both races.
It’s past time for this. It is documented that people have reported abuse by Rankin County Deputies to Sheriff Bryan Bailey many times. Bryan Bailey chose to ignore these reports.The truth will come out, and Sheriff Bailey should be held accountable for his actions.
Bryan Bailey and his racist officers are officially on notice. Rankin County voters may approve of your lawlessness, but the rest of America is fed up with your BS. Clock is ticking Bryan, better not forget to delete any evidence before the real law comes to town.
Anyone who doesn’t believe there is racism at play is beyond help. Hopefully, they are mostly frail seniors who will die off in the next few years.
So are the prior comments suggesting the feds shouldn’t go after RCSD since it didn’t discriminate in its unlawfulness? It’s ok if you abuse all races? I’m not following the logic. Let’s just hope it’s different feds than the boobs who ran the sting on the Jackson City Council members.
@4:16 - oh it has something to do with race. When Bryan Bailey and his men got caught terrorizing blacks and calling them every racial slur in the book while lying on their official records, there’s simply no way to pretend his office isn’t 1950’s Mississippi racist. These guys are throwbacks to some of the worst people ever to set foot in our state. Hell, the goon squad is named after Bryan Bailey’s mentor, an infamous racist and terrorizer of the black community. There is no hell got enough for Bryan Bailey and his squad of goons.
Welp they gave him a chance to step down and save face.
Sheriff Bryan Bailey is a disgrace. His officers are a disgrace. Rankin County is a disgrace.
His judgement cometh and that right soon.
They have them dead to rights with 2 out of the 3 things they are looking into! Possibly all 3, assuming the feds already have all they want or they wouldn’t be coming down South! Bad bad
"It’s just astonishing to me that this only became a big deal once they harmed black people. No one cared when the victims were trailer park meth head whites."
Well, not exactly. The feds didn't get involved when it was relatively minor violations of civil rights, regardless of the race of anyone - officers or suspects - involved. No, I'm not saying minor violations are or should be OK, but the reality is that the feds aren't going (and don't have the staff) to get involved in every minor violation across the US. But when that gun went off in that guy's mouth and dildos were involved, the shit hit the fan. Did the skin color of ALL involved in that catalyst event come into play at all? Of course it did. We can never know what might have happened if it had been different skin colors involved in that particular incident and rank speculation is just that. But at this point, everything will come into play. I'm not giving advice to anyone but if I were it would be that the best deals are the first deals, deals are first come, first served, and quantities are very limited, no rainchecks.
Stankin Rankin is doomed.
That giant sucking sound? That’s every iPhone and iPad deleting every text and email ever sent by anyone who ever worked near rankin county SO.
We knew this was coming and it is about to hit the fan. Many, many of us in Rankin County wanted to vote for someone else in the election for Sheriff of Rankin County. There were no other candidates. I think I read that Bailey was the most undervoted office in Rankin County in the most recent election. But, in my opinion, he should have dropped out or at least resigned when elected.
4:16: Tell that to Kirsten Clarke.
Did I see Bailey purchasing BleachBit software at Best Buy?
That paper shredder in the RCSO is working overtime.
They need to stop sitting on i20 in Pearl pulling over out of state licensed drivers for an ounce of weed and go after real criminals
No doubt they were overly zealous in their policing. However, as a reaction to all of the findings and scrutiny, a new soft on crime approach will not be good for Rankin County either.
The reason there was not another candidate to vote for was the Sheriff hid the information about the goon squad until after the qualifying deadline, it was deliberate. Notice how the BOS appointed him the head of the emergency shelter in order to give him a big raise in order to pad his high four years with PERS. Rankin County is one of the most corrupt counties in the state and the citizens are turning a blind eye to it. The elected officials who are promulgating this and benefiting from it could care less about the people, but we continue to elect the same people over. We have only ourselves to blame.
F Sheriff Bryan Bailey. That dumb MF is going to bankrupt Rankin County for generations. RCSO has harassed both blacks and whites forever. But Bailey is just the scumbag that will finally wreck this decent place to live.
@3:58p Your thinking style is exactly why I don’t want to make America great again. You want to go back to when you were in control, that wasn’t great for anybody. i’d just like to get better every day, and look consistently at the future and the the solving of our problems, not pining for the old Mississippi.
I hope this experience has changed the department. Rankin County has good people. Bailey needs to retire permanently. Don’t overthink the race thing; this guy is an equal opportunity POS. For the rest of the Billy badass LEOs, including PRV and MHP, time to shape up, serve the public honorably and halt all violations of the US constitution. The days of riding around trying to score dope and money under the color of law are over. No more steroids, no more warrantless searches, no more sexual predation of young people.
You are entitled to your opinion but let me respond by saying I hope those individuals that live in trailer parks needs and issues are addressed as well as those people of color that live in a brick homes. No matter where they live all parties deserve to be treated with dignity and respect especially when they are paying taxes and expect protection not abuse from law enforcement.
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