Residents of Rankin County are calling for either the removal or resignation of Sheriff Brian Bailey -- and a Justice Department investigation -- following the federal sentencing of five former officers in March. Many residents say they still fear law enforcement in the county, and are urging federal officials to step in.
Officials with the U.S. Justice Department met with residents of Rankin County last week to hear their experiences with the county's sheriff's office.
Five former Rankin County officers were sentenced in federal court in March for their roles in the warrantless assault -- and torture -- of two Black men in 2023 -- and its subsequent cover up.
Todd Gee, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, says he wanted to hear from residents directly as the federal agency weighs a possible investigation into RCSO.
“The Department of Justice uses meetings like this to hear from folks like y’all, directly from the source, about things that have happened to you or people you know where Civil Rights may have been violated.”
Several other federal officials joined the closed-door listening session, including the Justice Department attorneys who prosecuted the 'Goon Squad' officers.
But they were vastly outnumbered by residents, many of whom spoke passionately about a pervasive sense of fear of Sheriff's deputies even following sentencing.
“I’m really scared to come over to Rankin County,” said Donald Morris, a Black man born and raised in Rankin. “The police pull you over for no reason at a red light and don’t ask for your drivers license. They ask where the drugs and the guns are – man, I’m going to work. What drugs and guns?”
The Sheriff's Office did not respond to a request for comment.