Felony Friday: Caught On Tape, Mississippi Sheriff Kicks Handcuffed Man In the Groin Twice

felony-friday.jpg

{Update: This article has been updated to reflect an error brought to our attention. The sheriff referenced in this article is from the state of Mississippi, the original article said Alabama. We apologize for the error.}On the latest episode of "Sheriffs Gone Wild" we turn our attention to the state of Mississippi. Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd is facing some serious federal and state charges.The Sun Herald reports that Sheriff Mike Byrd is facing a federal charge that he knowingly engaged in misleading conduct. The crime itself is punishable by up to twenty years in the slammer and a fine of $250,000, according to court records.The federal charges stem from his ordering the destruction of patrol car dashboard camera footage that showed him kicking an arrested man, John Mark Stahl, in the groin twice.Stahl had been arrested for stealing a deputy’s patrol car. Certainly, Stahl’s theft of property should not go unpunished, but Byrd’s reaction was wrong. If the kick wasn’t enough, Stahl claims that Byrd threatened him with life imprisonment for embarrassing him, his office, and his officers.But wait, there’s more! Court records also say that Byrd called an information technologist to wipe his hard drive clean by drilling a hole through the old one and replacing it with a new drive. This man obviously has a lot more to hide than a kick to the nuts!Byrd has agreed to a plea deal on the federal charges. In exchange for pleading guilty, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Alabama has agreed to recommend that Byrd serve six months of house arrest and six months of probation. The judge has the final say and could make the sentence harsher, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.Unfortunately for Sheriff Mike Byrd his troubles do not end with the federal charges. He is also facing a whopping twenty-nine felony charges and two misdemeanors from the state. He has been charged with fraud and embezzlement, perjury, hindering prosecution, witness tampering, extortion, attempting to persuade another to commit perjury, and intimidating a law enforcement officer.

A situation such as this one begs the questions: is this isolated to a rogue sheriff that allowed the power he wields to go to his head, or does this story identify a flaw inherent to the manner law enforcement  and security are socialized in the United States?Not all sheriffs are power-hungry and ruthless. There are some decent people in these positions. Last month, on this very website, we praised a Florida sheriff for his principled defense of the Second Amendment.It is impossible to know how many sheriffs across the country are involved directly or indirectly with illegal activities, but we can say with certainty that police enjoy a monopoly on violence. They are given badges that place them, from a legal standpoint, on a higher plane than the rest of society. This is morally unjust.Sheriffs and police officers, in a private market would be forced to cater to their customer’s desires. Their paychecks would not be confiscated from the masses at the point of a gun, but instead earned by meeting or exceeding requirements of a contract.There are bad people in society. We cannot change that fact. We can, however, reform the policies and coercive systems that encourage these individuals to seek power in the first place.Receive access to ALL of our EXCLUSIVE bonus audio content – including “Conspiracy Corner”, “Degenerate Gamblers” and the “League of Liberty Podcast” by joining the Lions of Liberty Pride and supporting us on Patreon!Check out our past editions of Felony Friday!11/22/13 - Felony Friday: In Ohio Secret Compartments In Cars Are A Felony11/15/13 - Felony Friday: MI Legislation Proposes Banning Employers From Asking About Felony Convictions On Job Applications11/08/13 - Felony Friday: Return Airport Security To The Airlines11/01/13 - Felony Friday: FL Sheriff Vindicated For His Defense Of The Second Amendment10/25/13 - Felony Friday: 21 Drone Pilots Face Racketeering Charges In Arizona10/18/13 - Felony Friday: Counterfeiters Could Destroy The State10/11/13 - Felony Friday: Sports Agent Indicted For Allegedly Providing Perks To College Athletes10/04/13 - Felony Friday: Student Charged For Leaving Fishing Gear In Car9/27/13 - Felony Friday: Man Charged For Killing Deer That Ate His Weed Plants9/13/13 - Felony Friday: The State Has A Gambling Addiction9/6/13 - Felony Friday: Don't Forget To Pay Off The ABC Before Distilling8/23/13 - Felony Friday: David Cassidy Arrest Displays Tyranny Of Pre-crime Laws8/16/13 - Felony Friday: Software To Predict Future Felons In Development8/2/13 - Felony Friday: Cops Bustin' Up The Fake Heroin Market7/26/13 - Felony Friday: Police Dogs Placed In Class Above Privately Owned7/19/13 - Felony Friday: Officer Sexually Assaults Woman In Front Of Children7/12/13 - Felony Friday: Treatment Of Kokesh Is A Ploy To Intimidate7/5/13 - Felony Friday: Student Spends Night In Jail For The Crime Of Buying Water6/21/13 - Felony Friday: Florida Toughens Marijuana Paraphernalia Laws6/14/13 - Felony Friday: Teacher Pleads Guilty To Carrying Loaded Gun On Campus5/17/13 - Felony Friday: Police Kill Unarmed Man In The Bronx, Judge Tosses Indictment4/19/13 - Felony Friday: Cop Pulls Gun At McDonald Drive-Thru

Previous
Previous

The Police State: It's Worse Than You Think

Next
Next

What's a Lion of Liberty?