Six Officers Involved in January Rankin County Shooting Plead Guilty

Six Officers Involved in January Rankin County Shooting Plead Guilty

(Jackson, Mississippi) Pursuant to the global state-federal plea agreement announced earlier this month, the six officers involved in a shooting on January 24, 2023, in Braxton, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to Aggravated Assault, Home Invasion, Obstruction of Justice/Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, and Conspiracy to Commit Obstruction of Justice/Hinder Prosecution today in Rankin County Circuit Court.

“Today, a strong message has been sent: abuse of power will not be tolerated in Mississippi. I am grateful for the collaboration and cooperation of our state and federal counterparts who helped us deliver justice for the two victims of this brutal attack,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “The six officers who committed these heinous acts caused more than physical harm, they severed the vital trust with the people they pledged to protect. However, these six officers are the exception, not the rule. Every day men and women in uniform put their lives on the line to protect Mississippians. It is my hope that we can now help these victims begin to heal and restore confidence in the criminal justice system.”

The Attorney General’s Office has worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on this matter. Mississippi Deputy Attorney General Mary Helen Wall, who is leading the prosecution of the state case, was deputized as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the federal case and worked with the Department of Justice to secure this global plea agreement. This case was investigated by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The officers pleaded guilty to the following charges:

Sentencing will be set by Rankin County Circuit Court Judge Steve Ratcliff at a later date, along with federal sentencing.