An Alabama mother was kidnapped and tortured for hours before being raped and murdered by a gang of eight, police say.
Mahogany Jackson, 20, was stripped, handcuffed, beaten, spat on and forced into sexual acts at gunpoint in a Birmingham apartment before being shot in the back of the head on Sunday, February 25.
According to the public prosecutor's office, her torturers were four men and four women.
Around 8 a.m. on Feb. 25, Jackson sent a message to family members telling them she was being held hostage in Apartment 3 at the Serenity Apartments in southwest Birmingham.
The mother's body was found in the early hours of the next day under a mattress at an illegal dump in the 1700 block of Laurel Avenue, known as “Dead Man's Road.”
Several perpetrators took videos of the torture and assaults before Jackson, who leaves behind a three-year-old daughter, was killed.
Mahogany Jackson, 20, was stripped, handcuffed, beaten, spat on and forced to perform sexual acts at gunpoint in a Birmingham apartment before being shot in the back of the head
Several of the perpetrators took videos of the torture and assault before Jackson was killed
Around 8 a.m. on Feb. 25, Jackson sent a message to family members telling them she was being held hostage in Apartment 3 at the Serenity Apartments in southwest Birmingham
Giovonnie Clapp, Blair Green, Teja Lewis, Sinya McCall and Airana Robinson were charged with aggravated murder, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree sodomy. They were denied bail at a hearing on Monday.
Jeremiah McDowell, 18, Francis Harris, 25, and Brandon Pope, 24, were charged with first-degree kidnapping and murder. They are also being held without bail.
Authorities said Monday that Harris was the suspect who they believe fired the fatal shot after a projectile was recovered from Jackson's head.
The young mother's ordeal began when she arrived at Pope's McMillon Avenue home Saturday evening with several of the suspects, all of whom she knew, including Birmingham Homicide Detectives. Mark Green testified at Monday's hearing.
The kidnapping began on the property and videos taken by the suspects show Lewis and McCall stomping and spitting on Jackson outside Pope's home.
Jackson was on the ground, Green testified, while she was repeatedly attacked by several of the suspects.
At one point, Lewis straddled Jackson and punched her in the head.
The disturbing footage reportedly shows Jackson telling her attackers that they “won” and asking to be released.
Jackson leaves behind a three-year-old daughter
Jackson's body was found in the early hours of the next day under a mattress at an illegal dump in the 1700 block of Laurel Avenue, known as “Dead Man's Road.”
Blair Green (left) and Giovonnie Clapp (right) were charged with aggravated murder, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree sodomy
Teja Lewis (right) and Sinya McCall (left) were roommates in the Birmingham flat where much of the torture took place. They are charged with aggravated murder, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree sodomy.
Francis Harris, 25, (left) and Brandon Pope, 24, (right) were charged with first-degree kidnapping and murder. Harris is the suspect who police believe fired the fatal shot.
Jeremiah McDowell, 18, was charged with first-degree kidnapping and murder. Police believe he was part of the group that took Jackson from the Serenity Apartments building to where she was fatally shot.
In another video, Lewis could be seen removing Jackson's shirt and dragging the naked Jackson by her hair to a vehicle.
McCall was seen on the video yelling at someone to “pop the trunk,” Green told the court.
Jackson was then moved to the Serenity Apartments, where Lewis and McCall were roommates.
Four more videos of Jackson's torture were recorded there, the detective said.
Jackson was then shown being forced to perform oral sex on defendant Blair Green in McCall's bedroom.
McCall, the detective said, threatened that something would happen to Jackson if Blair Green didn't “enjoy” oral sex.
At one point, McCall forced Jackson to pull down her pants and asked McDowell to sexually assault her. There were no witness statements suggesting another sexual assault.
Police believe all of the suspects were present at Lewis' apartment at different times during the night during the attacks.
Jackson was then taken from Lewis' apartment by Pope, Harris and McDowell and fatally shot after she sent messages of help to her family.
When questioned by police, Lewis and McCall initially denied any knowledge of the incident.
They changed their statements after they were shown the videos sent to police by a witness, Green testified.
“This was a horrific attack against Miss Jackson,” Jefferson County Assistant District Attorney Charissa Henrich said Monday.
“She was subjected to torture for a period of time – there is no other way to say it – which ultimately led to her death.”
Adding: “The nature of these offenses was horrific.”