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A Mississippi officer accused of being the ringleader of the "Goon Squad" cops who were charged with the torture and abuse of two Black men is appealing his federal sentence.
On Monday (April 15), former Rankin County Sheriff's Office investigator Brett McAlpin filed a notice to appeal his 27-year sentence to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, per Fox 40.
A federal judge handed down McAlpin's sentence last month in connection to a January 2023 attack on Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker. Other "Goon Squad" officers including former Rankin County sheriff’s deputies Hunter Elward, Christian Dedmon, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke, and ex-Richland Police Department officer Joshua Hartfield were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 40 years for their involvement in the incident.
On the night of January 24, 2023, a white neighbor called McAlpin, asking if he and the squad were "available for a mission" before the officers entered a home where Jenkins and Parker were staying without a warrant. The officers went on to handcuff the two and assault them for 90 minutes. Law enforcement beat "Parker with wood and a metal sword, then poured milk, alcohol, and chocolate syrup over their faces before forcing them to strip naked and shower together." Elward fired a gun in Jenkins' mouth. Following the assault, officers attempted to cover up the incident, fabricating a narcotics bust by planting weapons and drugs.
McAlpin is the only officer among the six convicted and sentenced to file an appeal.
However, McAlpin's plea agreement, which he signed in July 2023, waived most of his rights to appeal his conviction. The move to appeal could result in more prison time for the officer.
As of Monday, McAlpin hasn't filed any paperwork indicating why he's challenging his sentence.
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