Tyler Edmonds is a 15 year old child from West Point, Mississippi who, at the age of 13 years old, was charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of 28-year-old Joey Fulgham, his brother in law. During his 14 months of incarceration before trial, Tyler, who was charged as an adult was exposed to the underbelly of the justice system and was convicted on Saturday, July 24th, 2004. Tyler, at the age of 15, was sentenced to life imprisonment, without the possibility of parole for at least 50 years.



We, the undersigned, implore the citizens and politicians of the Great State of Mississippi to support Tyler in his quest for appeal and to insure his safety. We ask this because of the following circumstances:



Tyler Edmonds was allowed to waive his Miranda rights without the benefit of counsel at the tender age of 13 years. In a society where children are not allowed to vote, sign contracts or determine their own legal destiny, this 13 year old boy was allowed to waive rights which would ultimately determine his liberty for the remainder of his life.
Tyler Edmonds was charged as an adult, forcing him into a system of prosecution ignorant of the differences between children and adults and utterly cold to the jeopardy such a young child would be placed in, if convicted.
Tyler Edmonds provided three differing statements to law enforcement after he was allowed to waive his rights without counsel, however the presiding judge, James Kitchen, denied defense motions to admit all three into evidence, allowing only the most damning statement into evidence.
Tyler Edmonds recanted his statement, indicating that his older sister, also charged with the crime, had convinced him that, as a minor, he would be in less jeopardy than she. Tyler, loving his step sister, believed her.
Tyler Edmond’s attorney, Jim Waide, was denied the ability to produce a renowned expert on false confessions as a witness for the defense by Judge Kitchens. Such a witness would have made clear the emotional pressure this child felt to protect his adult sister by falsely confessing to the crime.
Judge Kitchens continually denied motions by the defense and, as a former prosecutor, we believe was utterly biased and provided unfair assistance to the prosecution from the moment he was given the case.
Tyler Edmonds was, by all accounts, a very good child who had no criminal record, was an exemplary student, good citizen and good friend.
Tyler Edmonds is clearly a child whose short life has been led in such a way that rehabilitation and release should have been the result of any conviction, but tried as an adult instead of a juvenile, no such option exists.
Tyler Edmonds has no criminal record, no gang affiliations, no “street smarts” and is a young boy of small physical size and weight. In the Mississippi prison system his is virtually guaranteed to be victimized by older and far more dangerous inmates. Tyler will face a daily fight for simple survival every single hour he is imprisoned.


We, the undersigned, believe the prosecution of children as adults is immoral and unjust. However, when a child such as Tyler Edmonds is subjected to such unfair and terrible jeopardy, we believe such a child should at least be fairly tried. The extreme bias shown by the presiding judge in this case resulted in an unfair trial.