A Black man in Mississippi, Bobbie Adams, filed a federal lawsuit alleging that a former officer in the Rankin County “Goon Squad” and several other law enforcement officers set a police dog on him while he was handcuffed on the ground in 2021, resulting in several injuries. Adams claimed Tony Shack, a Rankin County sheriff’s officer, unleashed his dog VooDoo on him after a police chase, and Christian Dedmon falsified a report about the incident. Last month, Dedmon and five other officers were sentenced for torturing two other Black men. Adams attempted to flee deputies on foot after being caught selling methamphetamine to an informant but surrendered after six officers arrived on the scene. While Adams was handcuffed on the ground, Shack ordered VooDoo to attack him, causing multiple bites and injuries.
The lawsuit alleges that it took 8 minutes from when Adams was handcuffed for deputies to request medical attention and 13 minutes for dispatchers to report that a police dog had been released. Dedmon’s police report claimed that Adams kicked at the dog, leading to multiple bites, but the lawsuit contends that this information is false. The suit also claims that another deputy told medical personnel that Adams injured his foot while running from the officers. Body camera footage of the incident has not been released, and Adams’ attorney declined to comment on the lawsuit. Trent Walker, an attorney representing other victims of police abuse, believes that Sheriff Bryan Bailey is responsible for the violent practices within the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department.
According to Walker, the allegations in Adams’ lawsuit reveal a pattern of violence and abuse within the department that has been ongoing for decades under Sheriff Bailey’s leadership. He believes that the department’s culture fosters abuse and excessive force, with several white officers connected to recent incidents of misconduct. In 2022, Dedmon beat, shocked, and fired a gun toward a man’s head to coerce a confession, while other officers failed to intervene. Residents and attorneys have called for Bailey’s resignation, claiming that he is ultimately responsible for the corrupt behavior of the officers. Bailey, however, has denied any knowledge of the actions of the officers who were sentenced for their abusive behavior.
Rankin County residents have protested and demanded Bailey’s immediate resignation or removal from office. Despite the calls for him to step down, Bailey was reelected as sheriff in an unopposed election last year. The community is seeking accountability and justice for the victims of police abuse and is working towards holding the Sheriff’s Department and its officers accountable for their actions. The lawsuit filed by Bobbie Adams is likely the first of many against Rankin County deputies, as the community pushes back against the culture of violence and misconduct within the department.
