SENATOBIA, Miss. (WMC) – Senatobia city leaders were called out by one of the attorneys representing the family of one-year-old Kohen Wiley for not attending Wednesday’s press conference on the baby’s independent autopsy.
“All five of the aldermen should be right here, front row. Where are they? Where is the mayor? Where are the aldermen? They hiding,” said civil rights attorney Van Turner.
Wiley was shot and killed by Senatobia police back on June 14 as officers were responding to an alleged shoplifting call at the local Walmart.
Turner is representing the Wiley family alongside civil rights attorney Ben Crump. They held a press conference Wednesday alongside community activists to share the results of an independent autopsy completed on the child.
They also renewed the push for MBI and Walmart to release all surveillance video from the incident.
The community in Senatobia has held rallies, marches, and attended board of aldermen meetings demanding accountability and transparency for Wiley’s death.
Regardless, Turner and community activists said City of Senatobia leaders continue to stay silent. City leaders were noticeably absent as the independent autopsy results were shared at Senatobia Church of Christ.
Wiley’s family previously stated they wanted their own autopsy conducted because they do not trust the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation to share the truth.
The independent autopsy ruled Wiley’s death a homicide by a gunshot wound to the torso through the passenger car window, according to Crump.
Crump and Turner stated that the officer who fired the shot was not in harm’s way and, therefore, there was no justification for the June 14 shooting.
“The next meeting for the board of aldermen, you go down and you demand that the alderman put forth the ‘8 Can’t Wait’ legislation. It says de-escalation. If they would have de-escalated this incident, this baby would still be alive,” said Turner.
Turner said after the deaths of George Floyd and Tyre Nichols, there was a national push for the ‘8 Can’t Wait’ legislation.
“Warn before you shoot. No warning. They shot through the side. The ‘8 Can’t Wait’ says no shooting at moving vehicles. It’s on the paper,” said Turner.
Action News 5’s Michaela Redmond reached out to Senatobia Mayor Greg Graves, along with all five of the city’s aldermen, requesting an interview via email in response to Turner’s statements. Redmond said she did not get a response from any of them.
Redmond then headed to Senatobia City Hall to speak with the mayor in person.
“I’m trying to see if the mayor is in. We would love to be able to talk to him today about Kohen Wiley,” said Redmond.
Redmond said the women at the front desk told her the mayor was not in and would not be back until Monday due to the holiday.
Community activists said they will continue making their voices heard at the next board of aldermen meeting.“We’re not coming to be volatile. Put us on the agenda. We need a forum. I’m tired of busting up in your meetings and trying to fight through your officers, helicopter, guns and snipers on the building. I’m not doing that no more,” said Patrick Lumumba, a community activist and resident.
