A former Mississippi sheriff’s deputy, Brett McAlpin, convicted of torturing two Black men in 2023, is now seeking a reduction in his 27-year federal prison sentence, arguing that his role in the crime was minimal. McAlpin, who was one of six white law enforcement officers involved in the brutal assault, claims in a legal filing that he merely waited in his truck while the other officers carried out the violent acts against Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker. His attorney, Theodore Cooperstein, has petitioned the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, calling the sentence “unreasonable” and suggesting that McAlpin was unfairly penalized for being present at the scene.
The attack, which took place on January 24, 2023, in Jackson, Mississippi, was a horrifying ordeal that lasted several hours. The six officers, including McAlpin, broke into the victims’ home without a warrant, subjected them to repeated beatings, used stun guns, and committed assaults with a sex toy. The violence culminated in a mock execution in which one of the victims was shot in the mouth. Despite McAlpin’s claim of limited involvement, prosecutors and the court have emphasized his significant role in initiating the crime and overseeing the other deputies, leading to his substantial sentence. McAlpin’s appeal, which does not specify the exact sentence reduction sought, argues that he did not directly partake in the physical abuse, but the prosecution has maintained that his influence and presence were critical to the crime’s execution.
McAlpin’s motion to reduce his sentence comes just months after he was sentenced in March, with the other officers receiving terms ranging from 10 to 40 years. U.S. District Judge Tom Lee, who presided over the case, described the officers’ actions as “egregious and despicable,” imposing nearly maximum sentences under federal guidelines. The case, which has drawn significant attention, is seen as a stark reminder of Mississippi’s history of racist abuses by law enforcement. McAlpin, who apologized in court without making eye contact with the victims, now argues that the cumulative impact of the other officers’ actions unfairly inflated his punishment, despite his role in orchestrating the events that led to the attack.
Recent Comments