×

Rankin County sheriff, others accused of excessive force in new lawsuit

By Kaitlin Howell May 8, 2024 | 11:18 AM

RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – The Rankin County sheriff faces a new lawsuit over allegations of excessive force against a man in custody.

Attorneys for Christopher Bobby Adams filed the suit in U.S. District Court on April 30, 2024.

The lawsuit names Sheriff Bryan Bailey, Deputy Tony Shack, former Deputy Christian Dedmon, Rankin County and others as defendants.

Dedmon was one of the former Rankin County deputies who pled guilty to a long list of state and federal charges for torturing two Black men. The group was known as the “Goon Squad.”

Christian Dedmon, a former Rankin County Sheriff’s Deputy and one of six former Mississippi law enforcement officers who pleaded guilty to a long list of state and federal charges, enters the Rankin County Circuit Court to listen to the victims’ impact statements, prior to the state sentencing for his involvement in the 2023 racially motivated torture of two Black men, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Brandon, Miss. The judge gave the six former Mississippi law enforcement officers yearslong state sentences that were shorter than the amount of time in federal prison that they’d already received. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

The new lawsuit alleged that the defendants violated Adams’ 4th Amendment rights by using excessive force when he was arrested on a drug charge in 2021. He claimed that after he had surrendered and was handcuffed, a police K9 was set upon him and caused several injuries.

The suit also claimed a conspiracy among the defendants to deprive Adams of his rights as part of a pattern of using excessive force, especially against Black citizens or suspected drug users.

Adams is seeking compensation for the alleged violations and the damages resulting from them. He wants a trial by jury.

New Lawsuit Filed Against Rankin County sheriff, other defendantsDownload

Dedmon is currently serving 20 years in prison on state charges and 40 years in prison on federal charges for his role in the torture of two Black men in January 2023.

WJTV 12 News reached out to Adams’ attorney and to Bailey for a comment on the allegations. We are waiting to hear back from them.