Dozens rally at Mississippi AG office on eve of slain toddler's second birthday

Dozens of demonstrators gathered in the lobby of the Sillers Building in Jackson on Monday, marking the day before what would have been the second birthday of Kohen Wiley. The group chanted for justice as they pressed Attorney General Lynn Fitch to meet with the toddler’s parents and address her decision not to seek criminal charges against the officer involved in the child’s killing.

Fitch’s office stated that the investigation determined the officer’s use of force was justifiable. However, Danielle Holmes of the Mississippi Poor People’s Campaign argued that the agency owes the family a direct explanation. Holmes noted that the officer allegedly violated standard police training while shooting the one-year-old.

"We want to hear from the attorney general," Holmes said. "She needs and she owes the Kohen Wiley’s parents an answer as to why she feels a cop killer, racist cop killer that gunned down a one year old is justifiable, especially when he violated all police training."

Michelle Williams, Fitch’s chief of staff, responded to the crowd by citing the legal standard for prosecution. "It is a tragic turn of events, but we follow the law," Williams said. "We follow the facts to determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence to bring charges."

Williams explained that Fitch was traveling in Grenada and northern Mississippi at the time of the demonstration. When reporters asked for the attorney general’s specific schedule, staff indicated that a public records request was necessary to obtain the agenda. This procedural requirement drew criticism from advocates who argued that transparency was needed to address community concerns about police accountability.

Marquell Bridges, president and founder of the Building Bridges Coalition, framed the protest within a wider pattern of local and national incidents. "Over and over the denial of justice. This ain’t first in Senatobia," Bridges said. "We are tired. You will not kill our children. You will not kill our babies. We should have stopped it with Andrew Joseph III. We should have stopped it with Tamir Rice."

Eaveon Williams and Vellesiya Wiley, Kohen’s parents, stood silently among the supporters in the lobby. The organizing group pledged to continue requesting a meeting with Fitch and to ask for a re-examination of the case facts.