Men who say they were tortured by Rankin County deputies file $400M lawsuit

By Ross Adams

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    RANKIN COUNTY, Mississippi (WAPT) — Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey and six deputies are facing a $400 million federal lawsuit in response to police brutality allegations.

Attorneys for two men who claim they were brutalized by the deputies almost five months ago, filed the lawsuit, which may be the largest civil suit in Mississippi history.

The lawsuit claims Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker were both subjected to two hours of torture in their Braxton home in Rankin County in January. The suit says deputies handcuffed, used stun guns, beat and waterboarded the men. They are also accused of forcing the men to strip and shower together, and even used a sex toy on them, all while hurling racial slurs. Jenkins was also shot in the mouth.

According to attorney Malik Shabazz, the deputies didn’t have warrants and they turned off their body cameras.

The Rankin County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.

The FBI is investigating the case.

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