"Mississippi 'Goon Squad' Member Sentenced to 20 Years for Racist Torture of Black Men"

Former Mississippi sheriff’s deputy Hunter Elward, part of a self-described "Goon Squad," was sentenced to about 20 years in prison for his role in torturing two Black men last year. The men were subjected to racist torture after a neighbor complained about them staying with a white woman. Elward and five other former law enforcement officers admitted to the crimes, which included a mock execution, racial slurs, and planting drugs and a gun as part of a cover-up. The officers face federal charges and potential sentences ranging from 80 to 120 years in prison. The victims have called for the "stiffest of sentences" and have filed a civil lawsuit against the department.