Ben Crump on Criminal Justice Policy

Public disputes concerning sentencing, incarceration, prison conditions, probation and parole, reentry, and the policies and institutions that govern how the criminal justice system treats people who are charged, convicted or formerly incarcerated.

How we classify topics

Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.

Statement history

2 statements on this page. Dates: October 19, 2026 to October 23, 2026

2 matching statements. Dates: October 19, 2026 to October 23, 2026

2 published statements. Dates: October 19, 2026 to October 23, 2026

Condemned

2 published statements. Dates: October 19, 2026 to October 23, 2026

2 statements on this page. Dates: October 19, 2026 to October 23, 2026

Ben Crump

Role at the time: Civil rights lawyer representing Kohen Wiley's family, in a statement to Action News 5

October 23, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

Responding to Foster's resignation, Crump says it is not accountability or justice and that turning in a badge does not end Foster's responsibility for Kohen's death.

“Officer Foster's resignation is hardly a step toward accountability, and it is certainly not justice. A badge cannot simply be turned in to escape responsibility for taking the life of an innocent 1-year-old baby.”

Open source

Former Senatobia officer who shot Kohen Wiley named in previous lawsuits · WMC Action News 5

Action News 5 reports on two earlier excessive-force lawsuits naming Foster, quotes Ben Crump's statement on Foster's resignation, and quotes Foster's lawyer and a former Shelby County sheriff's lieutenant on the shooting.

Archived copy

Why we used this label

The case concerns whether the Senatobia officer was justified in firing into the car, killing Kohen Wiley. Crump says Foster bears responsibility for taking the child's life and that resigning does not amount to accountability, which condemns the shooting.

Read statement Mississippi's attorney general finds the police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley justified; Ben Crump disputes the finding

Ben Crump

Role at the time: Civil rights lawyer representing Kohen Wiley's family, in a statement

October 19, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

Crump questions how anyone can accept the attorney general's finding that the officer's use of force was justified while Kohen's family and the public have not been allowed to see the body-camera footage.

“A 1-year-old baby was shot and killed by a police officer, and now the state of Mississippi says that use of force was justified. How can anyone accept that conclusion when Kohen's family and the public still have not been allowed to see the body-camera footage?”

Open sourcePolice Shooting of 1-Year-Old Kohen Wiley 'Was Justified,' Mississippi Attorney General Says

The Mississippi Free Press reports the attorney general's finding, describes the June 14 shooting and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation's account, and quotes Ben Crump's statement for the Wiley family.

Archived copy

Why we used this label

The case concerns whether the Senatobia officer was justified in firing into the car, killing Kohen Wiley. Crump rejects the state's conclusion that the force was justified and questions how it can be accepted without the footage, which condemns the shooting and the finding.

Read statement Mississippi's attorney general finds the police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley justified; Ben Crump disputes the finding