Civil suit can continue against corrupt former deputy linked to death of Mississippi man
By MICHAEL GOLDBERG
Associated Press/Report for America
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A civil suit can continue against a former Mississippi deputy who pleaded guilty on Aug. 3 to torturing and shooting a Black man in the mouth. The suit alleges the deputy is also responsible for the death of another Black man in 2021. Rankin County Circuit Judge Brad Mills allowed claims of excessive force to move forward against one former deputy and one current deputy in a Wednesday ruling. The former deputy, Hunter Elward, was a member of a corrupt group of law officers who called themselves the “Goon Squad.” He and five other officers pleaded guilty to numerous federal crimes on Aug. 3 and are scheduled to plead guilty to state charges on Monday.