Tyler Edmonds Claim For Compensation Revived By Supreme Court

JACKSON (WCBI) – A Golden Triangle man sent to prison as a 13 year old but later cleared of the murder will now get the chance to seek money for his time in jail.  The Mississippi Supreme Court today reversed an Oktibbeha County Circuit Court ruling denying compensation to Tyler Edmonds. Edmonds was convicted and sent to prison for life.  He spent nearly four years in prison before his conviction was reversed and he was found not guilty in his second trial.   His initial conviction came largely on a confession he says he made only in an effort to clear his sister in the murder of her husband.  Edmonds then sought payment under a state program that allows people wrongly convicted to be paid up to $50,000 for every year they were jailed.  That request was denied because an Oktibbeha County Circuit Court said Edmonds played a role in his own conviction by giving the false confession.  The Supreme Court today reversed that ruling saying the false confession exclusion applies only if the defendant confessed with the intention of getting convicted.  The Supreme Court in its ruling says Edmonds only gave the false statement in hopes of keeping his half sister Kristi Fulghum from being convicted.

Thursday’s ruling says Edmonds has the right to seek a jury trial to determine the future of his claim.  If Edmonds ultimately prevails he could receive close to $200,000.

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