2 Former Mississippi Officers Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Torture of 2 Men

Four other former law enforcement officers are scheduled to be sentenced this week.

This combination of photos shows (L) former Rankin County sheriff's deputies Hunter Elward and Jeffrey Middleton appearing at the Rankin County Circuit Court in Brandon, Miss., on Aug. 14, 2023. Rogelio V. Solis/AP Photo

A federal judge sentenced two former Mississippi law enforcement officers to prison on Tuesday for torturing and abusing two Black men last year, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Hunter Elward, a 31-year-old former Rankin County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) deputy, received a 20-year jail sentence, and Jeffrey Middleton, a 46-year-old ex-RCSO lieutenant, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.