Photo: Gail Maddox (Facebook)
Disturbing new details have emerged about the kidnapping and murder of 20-year-old Mahagony Jackson, the Alabama mother who texted her family about her dire situation before she was found dead underneath a mattress.
Five out of the eight suspects accused of torturing, sexually assaulting, and killing Jackson appeared in court Monday morning (March 4), according to WBRC. Teja Lewis, 25, Si’nya McCall, 23, Blair Green, 25, Giovonnie Clapp, 23, and Airana Robinson, 23, showed up for a bond hearing.
Birmingham Police Homicide Detective Mark Green, who was the state prosecutors' sole witness, described the horrific contents of a video the suspects allegedly recorded.
Green said the young mother went to the 24-year-old Brandon Pope's house thinking she was going to hang out with friends. Prosecutors said the footage begins with Lewis and McCall beating up a naked Jackson outside before McCall can be heard saying, “Put her in the trunk.” The alleged assault continued at the duo's apartment, where more suspects recorded themselves attacking, slapping, and spitting on Jackson while she was handcuffed and still naked.
Prosecutors claim the 20-year-old was pistol-whipped and forced to perform oral sex while a gun was pointed at the back of her head. One of the suspects can be heard telling Jackson she's going to die, according to Green. The detective claims the video was uploaded to social media, as well.
Birmingham Police confirmed Jackson sent a text message to her family on February 25, saying "I’ve been kidnapped. Send help. Don’t call." She was later found dead under a mattress at an illegal dumping site at Cedar Avenue and 17th Street Southwest, an area one attorney described as "dead man's road." Officials said Mahogany suffered a gunshot wound to the back of her head.
Police arrested eight people in connection to the case, including Pope, 25-year-old Francis Harris, and 18-year-old Jeremiah McDowell. Authorities said they recovered two weapons but are still determining which one was used to murder Jackson. They're also going through suspects' cellphone records to construct a timeline.
Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr, who previously called Jackson's murder "barbaric," said her family members left "shaken" after hearing the horrendous testimony in court.
Judge Kechia Davis denied bond to the five suspects under Aniah's Law, which allows judges to keep suspects accused of violent crimes in custody.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.