Mississippi ‘Goon Squad’ Police-Abuse Scandal Reignites Racial Tensions

Six white former law-enforcement officers are being sentenced in Mississippi federal court this week for two incidents of abuse against civilians, including the torture of two Black men—a scandal that has shocked a state with a history of racial violence.

The officers, who referred to themselves as the “goon squad,” subjected the men to physical abuse and degrading acts. The incidents prompted proposed state legislation to strengthen law-enforcement training and accountability, as well as state and federal charges against the former deputies. The sheriff is under pressure to step down....