Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers have entered guilty pleas to state charges related to the torture and abuse of two Black men, marking a significant development in a case that has stirred outrage and raised concerns about police misconduct and racial discrimination.

The officers, including former deputies Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton, and Daniel Opdyke, as well as ex-police officer Joshua Hartfield, were initially charged with conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, according to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.

These pleas follow their recent guilty pleas to federal charges tied to the same incident.

The disturbing incident occurred earlier this year when the officers forcibly entered a residence without a warrant.

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They subjected the victims, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, to a harrowing 90-minute ordeal of physical and emotional abuse.

The officers used stun guns, racial slurs, and various objects to assault the men, even going so far as to shoot one of them in the mouth.

The victims were falsely charged with crimes, including the planting of drugs and a gun as part of a cover-up attempt.

The officers’ conspiracy began to unravel when one officer confessed to lying, leading to further confessions.

While the state charges carry sentences ranging from five to 15 years, the officers are also facing federal sentences for civil rights violations, which could be more severe.