A fourth former Mississippi officer is sentenced to 40 years after pleading guilty in torture of 2 Black men

A fourth former Mississippi law enforcement officer who pleaded guilty to brutalizing two Black men was sentenced to 40 years in prison Wednesday, as accounts of the disturbing violence of a self-so-called “Goon Squad” of law enforcement officers absorbed a federal courtroom.

A judge imposed the toughest sentence so far on prior Rankin County sheriff’s deputy Christian Dedmon, expressing he performed the extremely “shocking, brutal and cruel acts imaginable.”

The embarrassed previous deputy addressed the court prior to his sentencing, but – unlike the three ex-cops before him. Dedmon did not address the victims openly or make eye interaction.

“The lies, the pain I caused them, I will never forgive myself for. If I could take everything back, I promise that I would. I got into law enforcement, not as a devil. I really wanted to make a difference,” Dedmon stated.