It’s amazing what some kids have to go through just to prove their value to society. Take Tyler Edmonds, for instance. When he was young, Tyler admittedly did some bad things. For one, apparently, he used to lie, a lot.
The nineteen year old who recently walked out of a Oktibbeha County courtroom this past Saturday in Starkville, Mississippi a free man – as opposed to the 13-year-old who had been convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison – had lied when he told investigators that he helped Joey Fulgham’s 26-year-old wife, Kristi, fire an old .22-caliber rifle bullet into the back of Fulgman’s head as he slept in his Longview community home in the early morning of Saturday, May 10, 2003. Tyler also used to lie to his mother about secretly visiting his father, to Joey, his ex brother-in-law, about Kristi’s whereabouts when she was with other men, to law enforcement officials and others. But lying is not the same as murder. And we don’t sentence kids to life in prison for being liars.
We now know for sure that not only is Tyler Edmonds not a murderer, he’s not even a bad kid. A jury of his peers has proven this. Tyler’s just a kid who did some bad things in his life. There are kids just like Tyler all over the country. And nearly three thousand of them have been convicted for doing bad things as juveniles and they are now paying for it with life sentences in adult prisons with no chance at parole.
This is an absolute travesty of justice that must be changed, but now has one less victim to deal with. Big kudos to the team of lawyers, supporters, and believers who fought hard to win Tyler’s deserved freedom, and to Tyler as well for doing what was necessary to turn his life around, and become the living embodiment of inspiration to so many others.
JUSTICE FOR JUVENILES
Upon hearing of the verdict, Cari Barichello, Co-Administrator of the nationwide online children’s advocate group justiceforjuveniles.org said, “To say we are extremely pleased over the not guilty verdict today is an understatement to say the least. Tyler has remained one of our largest priorities since his nightmare began at age 13, because we believed that Tyler was a victim of Kristi Fulgham just as Joey was.” Barichello says that Tyler has stayed positive because of his Christian faith and love from his many friends, family and supporters throughout his tragic 6-year ordeal.
Donna Gallegos, also of justiceforjuveniles.org, agrees. “This is a joyous day for Tyler and those who love and support him.” Gallegos says Justice for Juveniles is extremely grateful to Barry Snyder, a North Miami Beach criminal defense attorney who assisted Jim Waide and Victor Fleitas of Waide and Associates in Tupelo, by providing his expertise to the defense team who never gave up and fought a long hard battle to prove Tyler’s innocence. Without the assistance of The Innocence Project of Mississippi, Amy Singer, CEO and founder of Trial Consultants Inc. a Fort Lauderdale Florida Jury Consulting firm, Radley Balko senior editor of Reason magazine and Reason.com and many others, Edmonds would be spending his entire life in prison for a crime he did not commit.
The Mississippi State Attorney insisted on wasting Mississippi’s taxpayer dollars and most of Edmonds youth by trying 13-year old Edmonds twice after the Mississippi Appeals court overturned Edmonds first conviction. “As a child advocate for several years, I must say Tyler’s prosecution is another sad example of America’s justice system losing sight of what justice is suppose to be when children are suspected or accused of crimes,” said John Osborn from New Jersey. “Children are not adults and need not be destroyed in the name of vengeance, the way this boy’s life almost was.”
SHORT HISTORY
In January 2007 the Mississippi Supreme Court overturned the conviction of Tyler Edmonds who was 13 years old when charged with 1st degree murder of his half sister’s husband, Joey Fulgham.
Tyler was convicted in July of 2004, with no forensic evidence other than a false confession he made after his half sister begged him to lie for her. Tyler recanted the confession a couple of days later. Tyler’s half sister, Kristi Fulgham was convicted in December 2006 for Joey Fulgham’s murder and sentenced to death.
The Mississippi Supreme court agreed that Dr. Stephen Hayne, who performed the autopsy on Joey Fulgham, over-reached beyond his area of expertise when he stated that two fingers pulled the trigger of the 22-caliber rifle used to kill Joey Fulgham. The Supreme Court found that Dr. Haynes testimony was scientifically unfounded but carried heavy weight with jurors. The rifle was never recovered.
Tyler’s adult half sister, Kristi, was convicted of the murder and sits on death row.
