American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi et al. v. Rankin County District Attorney's Office

Over the years, the RCDAO has prosecuted and convicted many people based on evidence supplied by the Goon Squad—evidence that we now know may have been obtained through torture and other unlawful methods. One of those people was Ronald Shinstock, who is now serving a 40-year prison sentence after he was convicted based on the testimony of Brett McAlpin, the Goon Squad’s leader. Leading up to Mr. Shinstock’s arrest, Goon Squad deputies entered his home without a warrant, beat him, threatened him with sexual abuse, and told him he would be raped in prison. They also beat his friend so severely he was bleeding from his ears.

A Goon Squad member has reportedly stated that the RCDAO was aware of at least some of the squad’s misconduct before it was publicly exposed. Following that public exposure, the RCDAO announced an “extensive review” of cases potentially affected by that misconduct. Since then, however, the RCDAO has provided the public with no information about what it has done—or not done—in those cases. Mississippians still do not know which cases the RCDAO reviewed, how it decided whether to dismiss those cases, how many cases it dismissed, and how many cases it chose to keep on the books. Accordingly, in June 2025, ACLU-MS and CCR sent a public records request to the RCDAO seeking records about its response to the Goon Squad’s misconduct. The RCDAO effectively denied the request in its entirety, asserting that some records do not exist and that other records are exempt from disclosure as attorney work product and law enforcement “investigative reports.”

In response, the ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative, along with ACLU-MS and CCR, have brought suit against the RCDAO, arguing that its refusal to produce records violates the Mississippi Public Records Act. Our lawsuit addresses each of the RCDAO’s arguments for withholding records. First, as to its claim that certain records do not exist—including any records documenting its review of Goon Squad cases—we argue that the RCDAO has not produced the evidentiary support required by Mississippi law. Indeed, that claim is implausible given the RCDAO’s public statement that it has extensively reviewed affected cases. Second, we explain that the RCDAO cannot assert the work-product and “investigative report” exemptions without providing details about the purportedly exempt records and turning them over to the Court to review. We further argue that our records request does not implicate these exemptions. For example, the names and docket numbers of Goon Squad cases that the RCDAO reviewed and the RCDAO’s policies and procedures are neither attorney work product nor investigative reports.

Our lawsuit asks the Court to compel the RCDAO to produce the records to which the public is entitled. Transparency in the disclosure and review of cases tainted by the Goon Squad’s misconduct is essential to seeking accountability in Rankin County’s criminal legal system.