What has been taking place at the Rankin County jail? A New York Times article charges a culture of violence and brutality existed at the detention center under its leadership. The Times and Mississippi Today reported:
For years, guards in a jail outside Jackson terrorized those in their care, according to dozens of people who say they endured, witnessed or participated in violent assaults.
Guards dragged inmates into blind corners, where cameras couldn’t capture acts of violence. They beat people behind closed doors. And they encouraged favored inmates to join in on the brutality. Former inmates and guards said the violence at the Rankin County jail created a culture of fear and was widely accepted by officials as a way of keeping order, an investigation by Mississippi Today and The New York Times has found. More than a dozen former inmates recounted being beaten for nonviolent infractions, like talking back to guards or getting caught with contraband. Many said a special group of inmates, known as trusties, helped guards beat troublemakers, lending fists whenever needed. Sometimes, the jail’s highest-ranking officials instigated the punishments or handed them down themselves, according to former guards and inmates. The Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, which runs the jail, has a documented history of brazen violence. Last year, the Justice Department began investigating the agency for potential civil rights violations after Mississippi Today and The Times revealed that a group of detectives and patrol deputies, some of whom called themselves the “Goon Squad,” had been torturing suspected drug users for nearly 20 years. This portrait of life inside the Rankin County jail is drawn from interviews with more than 70 former inmates. Many of their descriptions of widespread violence are supported by medical records and photographs, as well as incident reports written by guards and a video that shows guards shocking a man with an electrified vest... Over 10 months, reporters examined 69 alleged incidents of violence against inmates at the jail that occurred from 2012 to 2024. They included 21 encounters in which guards documented that they had used force against inmates, and why, in incident reports. These reports are routinely filed whenever guards encounter issues. Their descriptions of violence differed greatly from what inmates said had happened. But in a number of cases, reporters were able to interview eyewitnesses who supported the accounts of the victims. In several cases, medical records corroborated the injuries that inmates described.... Rest of article and video.
Our old friend, Wes Shivers, is mentioned in the article as well.
53 comments:
Is this the same New York Times that, in 1995, reported that according to experts most of the beaches on the East Coast of the U.S. will “be gone in 25 years” due to global warming?
Yes, this is also the same NYT that top two editors and a reporter resigned over made-up quotes, sources, plagiarized material, and false datelines
Whatever it takes to fit the narrative
Easy fix: don't get arrested.
It's just two different locations, i.e. inside Goons and outside Goons, all under the same leader...Bailey.
What a horrible stain on Rankin County. It probably has an impact on business thinking of relocating to the area. Madison County doesn’t have that handicap.
The NYT has never reported on a jail that, in its view, wasn’t corrupt
I wonder how many of these leftist writers have worked as correction officers? My guess is zero. Until you've dealt with an inmate, you aren't qualified to talk about dealing with an inmate. You want to impress me? Go get you a job at Parchman for a few years and then write your story.
Kinda gives you an incentive not to get arrested & go to jail...Huh?
It’s good thing ex inmates aren’t allowed to tell a lie. This story could be debunked pretty fast.
Exactly @11:59 and 12:35
We cover up our crimes. it's mostly democrats over in Madison County. We are going to hell in handbasket. They elected a coonass for a judge.
Yes, it is clear that Rankin County is suffering from this “stain.” Without this “stain” Rankin County would have surely landed one of those mutli-billion-dollar data center projects. Why, this “stain” will probably negatively impact Rankin County for years to come. Or not.
Rankin County doesn’t have Canton. Never forget that.
Interesting to see comments supporting brutality in Rankin jails. Sad really. We can talk about what the NYT did 30 years ago but we can’t refute the facts that they report about the Rankin jails. How long until the Feds take over Rankin SO?
This is an important story that needs to be told, especially since Bryan Bailey is apparently anointing his successor.
But someone just couldn't help themself and had to throw in the following paragraph:
"Several hundred inmates, many of them accused of drug crimes and other nonviolent offenses, live in rows of beige cells stacked two stories high. Many have not been convicted of a crime and are awaiting their day in court."
It is totally unsourced, and adds nothing to the story. But it does invoke a broad political issue, and implies vague allegations of serious constitutional violations, which have absolutely nothing to do with the very serious facts of the story.
That is the kind of activism, casually inserted as if it were a matter on which all reasonable people should agree, which undermines the credibility of modern journalism. Whoever threw that in there needs to be called out for it.
New York Times, ms today—-nuff said
Even former Deputy and Goon Squad member, has come forward and told of Sheriff Bryan Bailey’s corruption, malfeasance and flat out running a dirty sheriff’s department….yet, Sheriff Bryan Bailey walks free…
Will someone please think of the poor murderers and rapists?
At this point, I don't believe anything Christian Dedmon has to say.
“The only thing necessary for the Triumph of Evil, is that good men do nothing.”
“There is none so blind, as he who will not see.”
I see you blaming Sheriff Bailey. But what are you willing to actually do about it? Who is willing to run for Sheriff against him? Sounds like you already have a platform of ending corruption and seeking justice for all. So, what are you going to do?
NYT, Anna Wolfe, ACLU and Mamdani can ask George Soros to field a candidate for Rankin DA, but he'd just defund the Sherriff, staff, deputies, jailers and free the prisoners, which freed inmates would flee Rankin vigilantes for Hinds blessings.
All of this was done for the purpose of intimidating blacks from coming to Rankin County. Well, if you look closely at Flowood and the area’s around Old Fannin Road and many of the new neighborhoods in the area of Hwy. 18 and off of 468 it appears that their efforts have been largely unsuccessful.
The drug interdiction receipts would exonerate the sheriff. Why are those missing?
Someone is thinking higher than most on here. You ask the most important question.
Amazing number of commenters: “DURRRR, New York Times! DURRRRRR!”
Such a tribal, nativist, defensive, pussy retort. You people know what went on with the goon squad, “BUT MUH SOUTHERN OUTRAGE!!” NEW YORK TIMES, DURRRRR!”
@1:23- Same goes for the police and jailers. Good thing they are perfect angels.
Deputies work for and represent the Sheriff! Enough said!
The Fed is worse than Rankim County currently. The constitution is apparently irrelevant these days.
These folks here in Rankin county that are already in law enforcement will not run against Bailey. They are all corrupt and racist. They need to mess with the right one.
It’s wonderful that New York has absolutely no corruption so they have to come way down south to find some.
You’re absolutely right in your observation.
This area ended up saturated with HUD rentals because certain local politicians and a few attorneys found a way to profit from the post-2008 housing crisis.
What they didn’t anticipate was large investment firms like Maymont, Conrex, Ryan Homes, DR Horton and Vinebrook-type companies coming in and buying 30 properties at a time. Their original plan seemed to be that a few local buyers would quietly flip foreclosed homes without attracting attention.
But once major Wall Street money got involved, the situation changed drastically. At the same time, During Covid the government sent $60 billion in rental assistance funding to HUD, which everyone can see with their own eyes that Rankin has further shifted the housing market to renters, almost exclusively to black Democrats fleeing Jackson.
This will have long-term political implications now because George Soros could be tapped to spend his money in local Rankin politics in 2028.
NYT type liberals believe Mississippians still after all these years have an overall inability to shake off the Jim Crow era.
It is a fact that the Rankin County sheriffs department is corrupt. It is a fact that they have beaten and tortured people unmercifully, and for no reason for years. It’s the fact that the culture in Rankin County sheriffs department is evil. I don’t understand people on this board who deflect from the truth
and attack the New York Times because it is and East Coast, liberal newspaper. All you have to do is go back and study the testimony and evidence about the goon squad and their horrific acts which the New York Times has nothing to do with. When will many folks in Mississippi quit bashing the source and consider the actual facts. It is the message and not the messenger.
Sheruff Bailey for Governor in 27 because everyone is so damn afraid of him
Niknar is scared just admit it?
Ask Mike Hurst?
Ask Michael Guest?
Do they luv Sheruff Bailey??
Nope, just plain skeered in the land of Niknar
"It probably has an impact on business thinking of relocating to the area."
I can assure you that if I were considering, where, in the country, I wanted to locate or relocate an industry to, I'd not worry about labor force, would not care about air/rail/interstate proximity, restaurants, church life opportunities or tax abatements. I'd look immediately for reports of who got beat up at a county jail. Yessir, that's what most industrial prospects want to know.
Its amazing to me that Bailey has this much power in rankin county. He must own everyone. Bailey must have gotten all the deputies to comment on this post
Ummm at this point why would Dedmon lie ? It doesn’t help him either way with his sentence. Yall can say what you want but did any of the defenders even read the article and see the video ? 70+ interviews , so everyone of those is a liar, doubtful. Funny how Dedmon was one of the most trusted bragged about employees but once he gets clipped he all-of a sudden is a liar ! Hmmm maybe he knows the where the bodies are buried .
I would encourage everyone to go back and listen to the end of the video . There is a male voice that says, “thats it”. Hmmmm who could that be
I find the coerced fake meeting with the inmate with the attorney and jail captain unethical. Any lawyers think the same ?
Dare releases a portion of the audio, ok asshole ! 🤣
I don't know how so many people I know and grew up with in Rankin County can watch that video of the old man, who is obviously not playing with a full deck, being shocked with electricity for a coke and be fine with that. We are lost as a people.
The culture fostered by Bailey is that lawlessness reigns within his departement.
Also, there are many amazing law enforcement officers in our area who are sick of the Sheriff's office, it's lawlessness, his self dealing, and the way it allows outsiders to paint all of us as backwards.
I bet many of the folks here excusing the sheriff, his deputies, and the jail staff consider themselves law and order types. It's funny when you think about it.
Dare also infiltrated the NAACP meeting where an open forum was planned so the victims and the public could speak out about the abuse. They cancelled the event because of this. Does Dare get some sort of special emergency powers to be running shit at RCSO?
Lemme borrow a Texas Instruments calculator. Ima jess be over hear at the table cypherin' Bailey's fifth, compounded, 13th PERS check.
It’s easy. Just look across the river at what happens when you coddle the scum and dregs. The Goon Squad was for the greater good. Don’t let the dregs feel cozy and safe. Look at that piece of shit JPS coach wannabe Walter White. He was living in Rankin because he felt safe at night. He would’ve been safer to do his crimes in Hinds.
Jackson was a far better place before JPD and HCSO got defanged and then replaced by cultural democrats.
The sarcasm is strong with this one.
3pm…”The Goon Squad was for the greater good” Were you born stupid, or did study to get that stupid? That is one of the most ignorant, ridiculous things I have ever read. I feel very sad for you.
Wes Shivers . . . where have I heard that name before . . .
https://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2023/08/flag-island-fun.html
I believe two things can be true at the same time.
1) Bailey is garbage. TCSO needs new leadership and better culture.
2) The jail isn’t full of angels and honest people.
@6:21 PM
Do you live in Jackson/Hinds or Brandon/Flowood in Rankin? Because if you live in the safety and wealth of Rankin then you are a hypocrit. That safety and wealth are because Bailey and his Goons have been our vanguard against the Jackson thugs.
LOL the greater good? This massive dildo in my backpack, dont worry about that...its for "the greater good". Some true psychopath shit right there
Goon Squad, Poon Squad, Steroids, deputy Domestic violence accusations, torture with antennas? Some booking photos show the violence. What about the photos the public doesn't see? We know inmates are in jail for a reason but does the warden need to break jaws or give black eyes. Allegedly, (Jailer1 AT) telling mentally impaired Larry to consent is all fun and jokes as he screams getting shocked? You think all those deputies who jumped ship when the first articles started to come out wasn't an omen of more horror stories to come? Now we are to think that the same warden who beat people daily in the jail should be the next Sheriff? hahaha. NOT HAPPENING.
10:04: Oh really? All that is holding back the savage horde from Jackson (sarcasm) is the SO. Are you Steve Gaines. Last time I checked, Flowood, Pearl, Brandon, and Richland all border Jackson. Probably 170 cops between them all if not more. The SO mainly handles the Rez area and the unincorporated portions, which are getting smaller. But hey, any means necessary. I'm surprised you don't propose putting up gun towers at the Pearl River to shoot anyone from Jackson on sight.
https://mississippitoday.org/2025/03/31/sway-sanctions-and-second-chances-the-complicated-legacies-of-rankin-countys-celebrated-program-for-jail-inmates/
This is the article talking about Kristy Pennington (Shanks) Bailey and Sheriff Bailey’s running of the Rankin County Jail.
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