Mississippi Resident Files $400M Lawsuit Over Jaw Shooting Incident

By: Adonis Armstrong

A federal lawsuit seeking $400 million in damages has been filed by a Mississippi resident who narrowly escaped death after being shot in the mouth, all while being detained alongside his companion by six police officers from Rankin County. The incident took place during an alleged drug raid.

On February 15th, Eddie Terrell Parker (left) and Michael Corey Jenkins can be seen seated in a room at the office of lawyer Trent Walker in Jackson, Mississippi. (Aallyah Wright/Capital B)

Michael Corey Jenkins, aged 32, and Eddie T. Parker, aged 35, both African American, allege that their constitutional rights were infringed upon on January 24th. This occurred when deputies from Rankin County's Sheriff's Department forcefully entered Parker's residence, placed the men in handcuffs, and conducted a drug search. Despite unlawfully entering Parker's home, their attorney, Malik Z. Shabazz, informed Capital B that during the incident the officers use, “excessive interrogation methods to coerce a confession.”

Among the defendants listed in the lawsuit, three officers, including Hunter Elward, who were present at the residence in Braxton, Mississippi, as well as Sheriff Byran Bailey, have been named as codefendants. Jenkins alleges that Elward, during the incident, discharged a firearm and inflicted severe, potentially life-threatening injuries to his jaw and tongue. The lawsuit further states that following the incident, Elward falsely accused Jenkins of pointing a gun at him, resulting in the filing of wrongful criminal charges.

For almost two hours, the individuals were subjected to a series of disturbing actions which included frequent punches, kicks, slaps, electric shocks from stun guns, and relentless racist remarks, all conducted in an extremely juvenile and peculiar manner. As stated in the lawsuit, the officers also allegedly made an attempt to sexually assault Jenkins and Parker using a sex toy. When their efforts to commit this evil act against Jenkins were frustrated due to him defecating on himself, the officers responded by engaging in immature and bizarre behavior, laughing, throwing eggs at them, and forcing them to remove their clothing and take a shower together.

The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department has initiated a federal investigation into the Rankin County Sheriff's Office regarding this matter. However, it has not been officially disclosed whether the allegation of attempted sexual assault will be part of the investigation. On May 8th, Shabazz wrote a letter to the Civil Rights Division urging them to examine the case as a hate crime. A spokesperson from the Civil Rights Division has acknowledged the receipt of Shabazz's letter.

This isn’t the first time the Rankin County Sheriff Department has been handed a lawsuit. I hope this is the lawsuit to promote change in the department.

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