Podcast Summary

Reveal – "In a Mississippi Jail, Inmates Became Weapons"

Release Date: November 15, 2025
Produced by: The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX
Reported by: Mukta Joshi, Nate Rosenfield, Brian Howey, Steph Quinn, Jerry Mitchell
Hosted by: Al Letson

Overview

This episode investigates the Rankin County Jail in Mississippi, exposing a system where a public-facing inmate rehabilitation "trustee" work program allegedly masked a violent regime. Inmates selected as "trustees" were used by jail staff to inflict violence on other inmates, rewarding certain prisoners for brutal enforcement. The episode traces personal stories, outlines systemic abuse, examines obstacles to accountability—including political entrenchment and the chilling impact of the 2025 Trump administration's DOJ policy shifts—and explores community response and continuing federal investigations.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Rankin County's Culture of Law Enforcement

• [02:00-04:35]
  • Monthly prayer breakfasts in Rankin County are attended by business leaders and politicians, often hosted by Sheriff Brian Bailey.
  • Discussion of the "Goon Squad" torture scandal, in which deputies tortured Black men and attempted to cover up their crimes.
  • Community leaders initially call for Bailey’s resignation, but local officials publicly support him.
    • Notable quote: “We come out of last week with the best settlement. We could never even expect you to come out of there like that.” – County Supervisor Steve Gaines [02:33]
    • The department only paid a $2.5M settlement following a $400M lawsuit.

2. Introduction to the Blue Wave: Trustees as Weapons

• [05:14-15:00]
  • Chris Mack describes being assaulted by both guards and "trustees," inmates in blue jumpsuits, after refusing to snitch in 2021.
    • Quote: "I wound up with broken ribs, broken nose, two black eyes.” – Chris Mack [05:54]
    • Trustees who participated were called “the Blue Wave.”
    • Chris claims to have confronted Sheriff Bailey personally, who offered no recourse.
  • Reporter Mukta Joshi and team begin investigating the trustee program, finding that it was promoted as a national model for rehabilitation but in fact gave certain inmates power and comfort in exchange for enforcing order with violence.

3. The Privileges and Hidden Cost of Becoming a Trustee

• [07:30-13:23]
  • “Little John” Phillips describes his meteoric rise in the trustee program—access to work release, personal comforts, and even a pet dog.
    • Quote: “The best part of being a blue suit was the perks...” [10:07]
  • However, the price was becoming an extension of the guards’ authority:
    • Trustees were sent on “shakedowns” and expected to join guards in intimidation and beatings.
    • Quote: “They’d have us go in there and basically only whoop them in their stomach, in their ribs, don’t hit them in the face. ... get them to comply.” – Phillips [13:14]
    • Refusing risked losing privileges and being resentenced.

4. Widespread Violence and Institutional Knowledge

• [18:00-25:58]
  • Reporters speak to over 70 former inmates and several former guards; most corroborate that violence by “Blue Wave” trustees at guards’ direction was routine.
    • Quote: “They called it the Blue Wave. ... Guards ordered beatings and rewarded trustees who went along.” – Nate Rosenfield [19:38, 20:13]
    • Motivation was often as minor as a box of chicken or cigarettes.
  • Systemic efforts to hide abuse by targeting camera blind spots.
    • Quote: “Everybody knew the stairwell never had no cameras.” – John Phillips [14:07]
  • Multiple lawsuits and grievances were filed but mostly dismissed, often due to lack of legal representation.

5. First-Hand Accounts: Beatings, Blind Spots, and Cover-Up

• [22:06-26:14]
  • Carvis Johnson recounts guards and trustees beating him after a cell flood incident.
    • No security footage exists; guards report using force only off-camera.
  • Disturbing 2018 video of a mentally disabled inmate, Larry Buchhalter, being shocked with a restraint vest after guards offered him a Coca-Cola.
    • Audio: “Help. Help. Help.” – Larry [25:28]
  • Guards openly joke about and rationalize the violence.

6. Accountability in Name Only

• [27:12-32:33]
  • Captain Barry Vaughn, later promoted to undersheriff, is accused by multiple sources—including former guards—of participating in beatings.
    • Quote: "Camp Vaughn would slap shit out of you." – Former inmate [27:12]
  • The story of Keith Richards, a “Blue Suit” trustee who escaped, is recounted by many sources: returned to jail by Deputy Shivers (a former UFC fighter) and allegedly choked and beaten by guards and trustees, in the sheriff's presence.
  • When asked, both Shivers and department attorney Jason Dare deny culture of violence and claim accusations are unreliable “inmate rumors.”
    • Quote: "Sheriff Brian Bailey has been the best sheriff that I’ve worked for at that office." – Deputy Shivers [32:50]

7. Obstructing the Narrative: Retaliation and Intimidation of Sources

• [35:31-43:32]
  • Investigative source John Phillips disappears after frequent contact; found to be back in Rankin County Jail.
  • Phillips is summoned by department attorney Dare and undersheriff Vaughn, questioned about speaking to reporters, and pressured to write a statement recanting his previous testimony about seeing abuse.
    • Quote: "I, John Phillips, is writing this statement verifying that while I was here ... I never witnessed nor heard any wrongdoing." – Forced written statement [39:29]
  • Dare claims no pressure occurred, but concealed the list of positive statements he's obtained.

8. Structural Impunity and Political Protection

• [44:13-51:39]
  • Despite repeated lawsuit allegations and on-the-record reports of violence, department attorney, Dare, claims ignorance.
    • Quote: "Since I've been there, I’ve never heard of an allegation that a trustee fought with anybody." – Dare [44:27]
  • Angela English, NAACP local chapter president, describes attempts to support DOJ investigations and organize community petitions in the wake of the “Goon Squad” and Blue Wave revelations.
  • DOJ investigation is initially slowed or halted after Trump's 2025 inauguration:
    • Quote: "They feel emboldened. They feel like they got... they're ace in the hole now." – Angela English [48:56]
  • Months later, investigation resumes ("I think you're gonna be pleased" [49:13]), but locally, power structures remain unchanged.

9. Unchanged Power Structures and Community Impact

• [50:00-51:59]
  • Sheriff Bailey remains popular, hosts campaign fundraisers attended by political elites and powerful local figures, including the governor’s father and Republican kingmakers.
    • All affirm support for Bailey: “Low crime rate, good law enforcement.” [50:59]
  • Pressure on reporters at campaign events demonstrates enduring hostility to outside scrutiny.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On systemic complicity:

  "Truth is, that house is horrible, and anyone there is far from a saint. Bailey and those close to him will always win."
  – Christian Dedmon, convicted Goon Squad deputy, in email from federal prison [34:51]

• On privilege and violence:

  “They called it the Blue Wave. ... They'd have us go in there and basically only whoop them in their stomach, in their ribs, don't hit them in the face.”
  – John Phillips [13:14, 19:38]

• On retaliation & intimidation:

  “He said, 'What did you and him talk about?' I said, 'Well, I’m pretty sure you already know... I said, he asked me about some of the incidents in this jail.'”
  – John Phillips recounting official pressure [39:04]

• On community perspective:

  “I would be lying if I told you anything that's going on in that jail surprises me.”
  – Angela English, NAACP [46:59]

• On DOJ intervention:

  “We encouraged them to tell their story... It was just obvious that this was a pattern.”
  – Angela English [47:45-48:02]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:52–04:36 — Prayer breakfast, political context, and public support for the sheriff
• 05:14–15:00 — Chris Mack and John Phillips introduce the "Blue Wave" and describe abuse
• 18:05–26:03 — Testimony from over 70 inmates/former guards, widespread violence and cover-up
• 27:12–32:33 — Role of jail leadership, Vaughn and Bailey, in perpetuating abuse
• 35:31–43:32 — Retaliation against whistleblowers (John Phillips), efforts to undermine investigative reporting
• 46:59–49:44 — NAACP perspective; DOJ investigation threatened, then resumes
• 50:00–51:39 — Enduring political support for Sheriff Bailey and community attitudes

Conclusion

The episode reveals a jail system where a rehabilitation program became a tool for guards to outsource violence, creating an environment of fear and impunity. Despite repeated abuse allegations, political and legal structures in Rankin County have protected those in power. Local activists, attorneys, and journalists continue to push for accountability—even as federal investigations stall and resurge with political winds. The story underscores how entrenched practices, community attitudes, and national politics intersect to sustain local systems of abuse—while hinting that change is possible, but never easy.