Former Mississippi County Deputy Sheriffs Plead Guilty to Civil Rights Violations

WASHINGTON—Former Tippah County, Mississippi Deputy Sheriff Jeffrey Rogers, 35, pleaded guilty today to a one-count information charging him and former Deputy Sheriff William Rogers with violating the civil rights of an arrestee, the Justice Department announced. William Rogers, 56, who is Jeffrey Rogers’ father, pleaded guilty on Jan. 20, 2009, to the same charge of violating the civil rights of an arrestee.

In pleading guilty, the defendants admitted that in June 2007 they used their Tasers to attack an arrestee without justification. The arrestee suffered multiple burns and contusions from the Taser attack. After the attack, the defendants stripped the arrestee of his clothing and chained him overnight to the wall of an isolation cell. After bragging about the incident to fellow employees, Jeffrey Rogers misled federal agents who were investigating the incident. In an effort to cover up his crimes, William Rogers also filed a misleading police report about the incident. The Tippah County Sheriff’s Department fired Jeffrey Rogers after the incident.

"The vast majority of America’s law enforcement officers do their jobs bravely and with appropriate restraint," said Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Loretta King. "Those who use excessive force not only hurt their immediate victims but also the reputations of their peers, and will be prosecuted vigorously."

Sentencing dates have not yet been scheduled by the court for either Jeffrey or William Rogers.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kathleen J. Monaghan and Michael J. Frank from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Coleman II from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.

The Civil Rights Division is committed to the vigorous enforcement of federal criminal civil rights statutes, such as those prohibiting the willful use of excessive force or other acts of misconduct by law enforcement officials.