In a distressing incident unfolding in Pearl, Mississippi, a police officer named Michael Christian Green is set to plead guilty to a federal civil rights charge related to forcing a prisoner to lick his own urine off of a jail cell floor. This event, captured on security footage, took place after the man, identified in court documents only as “BE,” urinated in a corner of the cell and informed the officer of his need to use the restroom. The man is reported to have struggled, gagged, and subsequently vomited after being forced to comply with the officer’s demands.

Michael Christian Green, who is white, was terminated from his position following the emergence of this case, an incident that has sparked discussions on civil rights violations within the law enforcement sector. The victim in this case is identified as Latino. The charges against Green signal a significant breach of the arrestee’s rights, carrying potential penalties including imprisonment and fines, under accusations of deprivation of civil rights under color of law.

Pearl, a suburb of Jackson, has been thrust into the spotlight with Mayor Jake Windham expressing dismay over the incident. This case adds to a series of troubling accusations of misconduct and abuse of power by law enforcement in the region, including a separate case last year involving the racist assault of two Black men by several former officers in Rankin County.

The incident not only highlights individual misconduct but also raises broader concerns about the conditions within Mississippi’s correctional facilities, which have been criticized for poor living conditions and safety failures. With Green’s court appearance scheduled, this case underscores ongoing issues within the state’s law enforcement and correctional systems, prompting investigations and calls for accountability.