2024 tasing incident closed

Seals family found ‘not guilty’ in Rankin County Justice Court

• Disorderly conduct (4 counts)

• Resisting arrest

• Disturbing the peace

By Angela Buckner

MIC Magazine

“It’s been a long time coming, but I know a change gonna come.” Famous lyrics from a Sam Cooke song resonates loudly with Mr. Leon and Mrs. Morgan Seals as Rankin County Justice Court Judge Whitney McKay Adams rendered an immediate verdict of “not guilty” on behalf of the Seals family. On September 25, 2025, they successfully represented themselves against four counts of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and disturbing the peace. 

However, it took many hours researching, collecting necessary documents, and reviewing bodycam footage that helped prove their innocence. 

Attorney Ed Rainer represented the family until his untimely death during the summer of 2025. With Attorney Rainer out of the picture, the Seals family was forced to make a drastic decision relating to the “difficulty” of attempting to secure new legal counsel. According to Mrs. Seals, “Well, we felt like who knows the case or what happened that night better than us? So we decided we should represent ourselves because we know what happened. And to be honest, the only true evidence we needed was the bodycam footage. It told the true story.”

As a quick backdrop, official Pearl Police Department bodycam footage was released. In the video footage, Lt. Richard Tyler Lents is seen “escalating” a “de-escalated situation” already under control. Lt. Lents can be heard yelling “shut your mouth” at an elderly woman, later discovered is the mother of Seals. In the footage, Lt. Lents further continues to bark orders at Mrs. Seals after she asked the officer to leave the property. 

When asked why she wanted the officer to leave her residence, Mrs. Seals stated, “I wanted him [Lt. Lents] to leave the property because he was overly aggressive and I was concerned for my husband’s safety. I was trying to de-escalate the situation.” 

Just as she feared, the unthinkable happened. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Seals was tased without warning and taken into police custody. 

Although Mrs. Seals tried to intervene by requesting the supervising officer to leave, the video further shows Mrs. Seals being transported to the police station. While Mrs. Seals was in transport to the police headquarters, a phone call was made to Lt. Lents inquiring about the welfare of the Seals family children. 

Lt. Lents immediately followed up with asking Mrs. Seals if her mother-in-law had the children. Mrs. Seals stated, “I knew they were at home when I was arrested because that’s why I was trying to get him away from my door because bullets don’t have a name. I thought he [Lt. Lents] was going to pull a gun because he was so aggressive, but he didn’t know where they [the children] were when he arrested me.” Bodycam footage shows Lt. Lents never turns the cruiser around to make certain the welfare of the children was secured. He can be seen continuing to the police headquarters.

The Seals family had substantial support since the incident occurred. Among the organizations and individuals providing support are: Mississippi House District 66 Representative Fabian Nelson, Washington County NAACP President Tarsha Parker, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party President Cardell Wright, and Congressional Whistleblower Fred Chambliss.

Chambliss said: “It reminded me of what I was going through [Federal Bureau of Prisons]. The system is being weaponized against us.” 

Representative Fabian Nelson stated, “Standing with families for justice has been the highlight of my career. I will always support any Mississippian seeking fair justice just as I have here with several families in Hinds County, such as the Sanders family … The not guilty verdict in Rankin County with Leon and Morgan shows that when we stand up to the establishment justice rolls down like a mighty stream.” 

James Parttridge, another supporter, drove a significant distance to stand in solidarity with the family. He reports spending nearly 200 hours helping Mr. Seals with case preparation. Parttridge stated, “I saw injustice and I thought that I had been through something similar … So, I started working as if I were fighting for my own family. Now they feel like they’re family to me.”

The Seals family said they count this “not guilty” verdict as a legal victory.