Was Murdered by Police in Mississippi - He Was One Year Old w/Marquell Bridges

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[00:02:24]>> Uh yeah, you you know you're always welcome here. We are streaming on YouTube. We are streaming on Instagram and um we are on the old fashion radio, terrestrial radio. We're also um available. We have an app. You can listen on the app anytime it strikes your fancy. Um, and I'm happy to welcome into the space right now an organizer out of Mississippi. Um, he is um one of the people responsible for bringing uh bringing the Goon Squad to the national attention through his organizing work there on the ground through uh building bridges uh his organization Marquell Bridges. Good morning.

[00:03:15]>> Good morning.

[00:03:17]So, [sighs] um I don't even really know where to start. I know um you are constantly organizing and you're well aware, as I've said, that since 2020, the number of folk, black people killed by police increases every year. Um, but this particular case seems even worse, if that's possible, than so many that we have encountered before. Talk to me about baby Cohen Wy.

[00:03:55]Um, it's it's always uh Mr. Ka is always the ones who have this special light. Um doing this organizing work, Owen was the light of his family. Um I instantly connected with both his maternal and paternal grandparents and the way they loved him, the way they described him.

[00:04:20]his maternal grandmother, uh, Veronica Robinson described as, you know, she had just lost her mother and Cohen was the one thing that was keeping her together and bringing her back to to a healthy space, a healthy mental space after losing her mother. And then the grandfather was just so distraught about the legacy that the never being able to take him fishing um to ride four-wheelers. Just the legacy he had planned and and this the father and mother had planned on instilling in Cohen. He was just the hope for his family, the light, the smile, the energy. Um >> I mean, you can see it because there's a million pictures of him. I mean, he's only one and he there are so many pictures of this little baby in the cutest little outfits doing all kinds of cute little things. Clearly so well loved by his family.

[00:05:13]>> Yes. Um and to be stolen in the in the way that he was. They're broken. The community is is broken. Um the community is is up in arms for a lot of reasons.

[00:05:27]Cinito has a long um racial and brutal history um of them disparaging um disproportionately locking up, arresting, brutalizing, and killing black people. In this same very Walmart, just in 2025, they beat a [clears throat] 65 year old black woman and tased her for doing nothing more than dropping her mother off um and sitting in a handicap parking spot. Um, this is the same town, same city that um, a young black boy, a 10-year-old had to use the bathroom really bad, jumped out on side of his mom's truck and they took him and took him to jail for that.

[00:06:09]Um, this is the same same time when six white boy six black boys crossed over a white man's lung. All six of those was kidnapped by the state, arrested, and their parents didn't even know where they was. Um, just brutality after brutality. Um, and a guy, the local organizer there has been warning the board that it was going to elevate to this point. And it's just tragic that um, it had to elevate until killing a one-year-old baby. They've shown us in South Carolina that the price of a 14year-old black boy life is a bottle of water. And they're showing us in San Antonio, Mississippi, [clears throat] that to them, not to us, but to them, the price of a black baby's life is paid for a pack of pampers.

[00:06:57]>> Well, >> the lyrics, >> right? I mean, when when I saw that, I mean, you know, I'm a mom, so it it just makes me so rageful. I have to pray my way out of the house to be able to leave the house because to me, it says, you don't see us as human. There's no way that an armed person shoots into a car with a one-year-old baby if they think that is a human baby.

[00:07:27]>> And and this is the most um telling part and and just horrific part. the police officers there, sheriff department and Sanitobia PD, who's actually responsible for the shooting, were both on the scene for a another call unrelated to this incident. And every last one of the officers said they seen two women and a baby. So that they had prior know, you know, it's one thing to not even know the baby was in the car, but to know have prior knowledge that this is the report that's gone out. Everybody knows that this child is present. You can phys physically see the child for yourself as a law enforcement officer and you still choose to shoot in that car. I mean, >> knowing that these people are unarmed.

[00:08:17]>> I saw a video yesterday of what appeared to be the mama and her attorney sitting in a car and he asked her to tell what happened. I wasn't sure. You know, everyone was criticizing it because why, you know, they're saying they're armchair lawyering and saying she shouldn't be speaking out. Um, and they were mad because she wasn't crying, which made me want to punch people because you don't know what how this mother is processing this. She's probably in shock. Um, >> yes, that wasn't her attorney. That was um that should have never happened. But in retrospect, I'm glad it did. Um, so the truth is can come out that she didn't steal anything and she was trying to protect her child. Um, >> okay. I think he he identified himself as an attorney or her attorney in the tape that I saw. So, what whoever it was, she was speaking. Um, and you say that never should have happened because you think it endangers the case. I thought, well, maybe they're trying to get ahead of this, like the Carmelo Anthony situation where there are so many lies being told. Maybe they're trying to get ahead of it. I don't know what the strategy was, but um it was, you know, terrible. Um just the story that she shared.

[00:09:33]>> Yes. So, um the reason I said it never should have happened, I mean without her attorneys, that was some um news anchor from ABC News Memphis. And that's like late night. Um I don't know how he got in touch with her or whatever. But it's okay when you're telling when the reason I say I'm glad it did is for exactly why you addressed when you telling the truth and she's able to clear up everything that that was said. You know what I'm saying? And and the truth was out there.

[00:10:01]>> She says that she had her baby and she held him up in hopes that the you know that the police would see there's a baby here. And >> yeah, she was she was trying to show them that it was a baby in the car, right?

[00:10:15]>> Which they already knew, >> which they already knew. But I was just kind of seconding what you said. Not only did they already have that knowledge, she says she held the baby up because she was trusting that the police would see, oh, it's just a baby and a mama and a friend who's another woman and and back off. and she said it sounded like they they immediately were shooting or they were shooting as the baby was being held up and brought back down to her to her lap.

[00:10:45]>> Yes. And we didn't know at the time, but we know now the baby was the was was hit on the first shot. Every shot this officer it shot, he is hit who he was trying to hit. He killed the the baby first. So why if you're trying to disable a car, why are you shooting at the passenger side? So none of their narratives make sense. It's all lies. He just which we know his racial history and and his uh brutality history and his different complaints within the apartment. Now >> actually have not heard that. Talk to me about his racial history.

[00:11:20]>> So um he has formal complaints not from average citizens. He has formal complaint from other officers within the Cenitobia Police Department that we have visually seen with our own eyes of of him using racial slurs in the precinct.

[00:11:35]He was fired from the Sodto County for brutalizing black people. He put the dog on a guy's neck while he was handcuffed.

[00:11:43]Um, and people of all colors and creeds have been just posting um about how rotting and corrupt that Hunter Foster is. So, he's a racist. He wanted to kill this racist um baby. There was probably 20 officers, 15 to 20 officers out there, and he's the only one um who desired to shoot at a black baker.

[00:12:07]>> How racist do you have to be to actually get complaints from other officers for racial slurs in a police department in Mississippi? Let that sink in. Marquel Bridges is our guest. Thank you for joining us. I got a lot of questions. I know the KBLA delegation has questions.

[00:12:27]If you do, um 8009201580, we're talking about the murder of of Cohen Wy uh by Mississippi police. Um most notably Hunter Foster, the trigger man. We'll continue the conversation when we come forward on KBLA Talk 1580.

[00:12:47]>> She's reclaiming her time on KBLA Talk 1580. More first things first with Dominic Deria when we come forward.

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[00:15:47]>> The conversation continues right now with Dominique Depria on First Things First. We're talking with uh Marquell Bridges who is a community organizer there in Mississippi. Um has been for quite some time and is uh working organizing around the terrible terrible shooting of one-year-old Cohen Wy fatal shooting by Mississippi police and Santaia parking lot of a Walmart. Um, I saw on your page, Marquell, that there was a lot of not not just a lot of protests going on, but also an empty parking lot at that Walmart. Talk to me about the boycott and the push back.

[00:16:36]>> So, um, we gave them an opportunity. Um we went down as a community to the city hall um just to have the mayor, the commissioner, the public safety commissioner was there to lie to us and tell us that they weren't able or didn't have the power um to fire without pay or put on leave without pay this racist officer, this baby killer. Um so upon after they told us all those lies um we decided and organized an imp impromptu um protest to show power, black power, black unity, black organization and shut down the Walmart to attack their economic power. Um and that's what we did. Um it was it was actually great and brilliant organizing on the fly because not one single person hundreds of people not one single person was arrested. Not one not one single protester was arrested. Not one single um person or protester was harmed or never um did anything but remain peaceful. They conducted their self really really well.

[00:17:46]Um even though with all the rage and emotion, I have to give it to the people and community of um they listened. Um and we were able to effectively shut down the Walmart from about 6:30 um until like 9 the next day. closed for um business. Um and the police are the only thing people who became violent, they tear gas peaceful protesters for no reason.

[00:18:12]>> And what is the call is the call to try to um continue to shut down that Walmart? Are you what what is the call to action on an ongoing basis right now?

[00:18:25]What are the demands of the family?

[00:18:28]Um the the fans of the family are are real simple, cut and dry. So we're definitely um and we understand that this is a a tall order and I never like giving out problems without giving solutions. So, I I I really wish our our our black successful and wealthy will get together and give us our own grocery store chain so we can have other places to send our people um for times like this when we're not totally dependent on other races and other groups um to support us or or for the things we need not support us. But, um it is definitely a boycott call for Walmart. We understand that's a tall order. our focus is shutting down on that w that particular Walmart where it happened at which is very doable um but impacting them um economically the city of Sentopia and all across the country um because Walmart has the tapes. So everyone always asks that question in the comments. Why are y'all at Walmart?

[00:19:26]Well, we went to the city council meeting and to the city to address their police force um who's who's um employed by them and by taxpayers to release the video. And when they didn't cooperate, we went to the second person who has a copy of the video and probably better angles than the police, all the cameras at Walmart um to see if they would release it. And and of course, we know both deny this. But after um the demonstration, the direct action at Walmart, they then turned around and and placed Hunter Foster on leave without pay. So he was still working as a baby as a racist baby killer up until we did that action at Walmart.

[00:20:09]>> That's insane.

[00:20:12]I'm sorry. Had that been a baby of any other race that they considered to be human, that officer would have been immediately been put on leave, especially with that history that you're talking about of complaints and dismissal from a different department, >> a different police department. So now he's on unpaid administrative leave, and I'm sure they're saying there's an investigation, but still no tapes.

[00:20:38]>> Still no tape. a bunch of accusation and and propaganda from the other side.

[00:20:43]That's why I'm actually, as much as I hate it, and it goes against every organizing uh bone in my body to have someone speak without their attorney.

[00:20:52]And I definitely um talked to Miss Punkin about the dangers of that. Um not like you saying anything wrong or lying, but the dangers of just how they try to entrap you and use your words against you in prior statements. But um I'm happy she told it so people know the truth and understand that this is just a wrong. He just killed this baby and seen it. Even after she tried to show him like, "Hey, my baby in the car. Don't shoot." He still chose to kill the baby and shoot Latoya Fleming who's in the hospital fighting for her life. And um God forbid, but the bullet in her stomach um she may be paralyzed because it hit her spine. and her bravery and her courage is not being talked about enough um because she still was able to drive the baby and her friend and herself um to the hospital after four gunshot wounds, >> one paralyzing the whole >> the whole time talking about she couldn't feel her legs, you know. So she they were never fleeing they were fleeing from being killed by police, but they the only place they were fleeing to was to accurate authorities and someone who could save their lives. They were fleeing to the hospital. Wow. So, they wasn't fleeing. They was trying to get to emergency help because this officer just recklessly and uh with a total abuse of force and negligence shot in this car knowing a baby was in there.

[00:22:17]>> Every police department that I know of has a policy against shooting into cars, moving cars, cars with even cars with known criminals. You're not supposed to just shoot into a car. Like that's out of policy number one.

[00:22:33]>> Yes.

[00:22:34]>> I mean, has that has that been discussed at all? I haven't heard much about that.

[00:22:39]>> So the the the the mans are this just happened Sunday, >> right?

[00:22:44]>> So I drove I drove five and a half hours to get there as soon as I seen it. For one, Mississippi is home there. Even though I don't live there now, it's home for me. But I just have a special affinity um for black children, black babies that there's a clear line in stance. You know, I I feel often times like we don't stand up enough for black women and black men when they're murdered, but you have to draw the line at them killing your kids. You have some sort of line in the sand has to be drawn. like we're totally not going to um to accept any of it but not this particular, >> you know, if there's anything innocent in this world, it's a baby. So, >> yeah. And and and what a beautiful baby.

[00:23:31]I mean, and not all babies are precious, but this little child who I've never ever met, obviously, was just just a light. You could see the joy coming out of his pores. Just the most beautiful little baby. Sorry, I digress. I got No, you're fine. I got a little bit off top of it. Um, just expressing myself, but the the family's demands are are really simple. Um, first, release bodywn camera. They're very specific and they're very specific for a reason because we know how they like to play games. The police like to play games. Release the body warning camera um, and dash cam video and audio.

[00:24:09]We want to know what Hunter Foster and these other officers was communicating leading up to this point. if they had intentions of killing someone. Um, released the Walmart cameras, every angle that shows the shooting before and after as well, just like the body cam leading up. Release the store footage camera showing what these two young ladies um was doing in the store since you want to make these allegations against him. Um, these false allegations um by um the word of the mother. Um, we want audio and transcript of this alleged 911 call. Did that call come from inside Walmart? Did that call even happen or is this just more police lies and police narrative to justify killing a black baby? You know, these are all questions they they can answer. And of course, um, we want the firing, termination, descertification, um, arrest, charge, arrest, indicted, and conviction of Hunter Foster for killing, um, co baby Cohen Cartiier Wildley, a one-year-old baby, and shooting and possibly um, she's fighting for her life, but forever changing and scarring Latoya Fleming for a misdemeanor.

[00:25:33]as they were unarmed.

[00:25:34]>> An alleged misdemeanor. And one thing >> an alleged >> one thing the mom said because there's been no charges filed. No charges against the mother. Right. No charges against um her friend. Um >> Right. Latoya Fleming. No charges against anybody. And it was widely reported that it was her aunt, but I believe it was her it's her friend, right?

[00:25:56]>> It's her it's her it's her friend.

[00:25:58]You're correct. It's her friend. You're correct on there's no charges. They just throwing the police are just throwing around allegations, but there's been no official charges against either um the mother, Latoya, the driver, or anyone else.

[00:26:14]>> And as the mom states in that video that look on the store video, you can see us doing selfch checkout. But this and I only have a minute. We'll address it on the other side. I only have a minute before news, traffic, and sports. But this really enrages me too, Markwell, because I feel like the fact that we have to say and she didn't even steal the diapers is stupid because what it says is it says that if they did steal the diapers, it was okay to murder the baby, >> which I do not sign off on in any way, shape, or form. And even if if she did steal the diapers, like that was the only way to recover them was to shoot the baby. You you know, you got license plate readers and surveillance and you know what I mean? and and and probably the swipe of her card. And there's a million ways if you really wanted to recover your, you know, $10 of profit.

[00:27:10]>> Exactly. And Mr. Prima, we just watched white privilege and white supremacy justify uh Austin Metaf physically assaulting Carmelo Anthony and they disregarded his actions and that's a misdemeanor. They disregarded misdemeanor assault and said a black baby need to go to jail for his response. So, so I don't really want to hear nothing from these people in in that regard because I know it's prejudice and bias on what they choose to justify and agree with. You know, this should have never happened. Period.

[00:27:43]I don't care. Um I know they didn't. I believe the mother I I believe um and I'm waiting on your store cameras. to show us.

[00:27:52]>> But I don't care even um the baby should have never died. Period. You should have never shot into that car. It's okay for you to if they shoplifted, arrest him.

[00:28:02]But the situation was handled totally wrong. And >> the fact that we even have to say that is the whole problem. Marquel Bridges is my guest. We'll continue the conversation after news, traffic, and sports only right here.

[00:28:16]>> You can't fix what you won't face, >> and we face it every day. This is KBLA Talk 1580.

[00:28:24]>> I'm Alexandria Ikimony with BIN News.

[00:28:27]Now, Hilly Bryant in Michigan has been found competent to stand trial on three child abuse charges after police found three children living alone in filth in February of 2025. A judge agreed with the psychiatrics findings that Bryant, a black woman, is [music] competent.

[00:28:44]>> We'll see you Monday, August 24th for trial.

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[00:29:36]>> Is this the title? This is the KBLA Sports Minute with Ray Richards.

[00:29:41]>> I'M A BAD MAN.

[00:29:42]>> New York Knicks owner James Dolan said his team has been invited to the White House by Trump to celebrate the Knicks NBA championship. Dolan and Trump have been friends for more than 30 years. No date has been confirmed for the Knicks White House appearance. The more important question is, will Nick's players go with Dolan to the White House? There has been a lot of animosity between NBA players and Trump during his two terms as president. The last five NBA teams that won the championship while Trump was in office declined his invitation to come to the White House.

[00:30:11]The Golden State Warriors said no in 2017 and 2018. The Toronto Raptor said no in 2019. The Lakers declined in 2020.

[00:30:20]The Oklahoma City Thunder said no after winning last year's title. It will be interesting to see how Nick Knicks players react if Dolan, who signs their paychecks, insists that they come with him to the White House. Stay tuned. No debates, no speculation, just the info you need. That's your KBLA Sports Minute. I'm Ray Richardson on KBLA Talk 1580.

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[00:31:22]>> We're heading into one of the most important election seasons in a generation. And with so much on the line, your healthare, your economy, your neighborhood, you deserve more than sound bites. You deserve the full story.

[00:31:35]KBLA Talk 1580 is your trusted voice for political coverage, commentary, and conversation. From local races to national headlines, we bring you the insight and perspective you need to make sense of it all and make your voice heard. Between now and November, a lot will happen, a lot will change, but one thing won't. KBLA Talk 1580 will be right here keeping you informed, keeping you engaged, and keeping it real. KBLA Talk 1580, the place. The place for politics >> with a KBLA talk 1580 editorial. I'm Tavis Smiling. In my prior commentary about destination crshaw or procrastination crrenshaw as we call it around here, I opine that sometimes neglect becomes a decision. I want to challenge my own neglect becomes a decision thesis in just a moment. This $100 million revitalization project was supposed to transform 1.3 mi of Princeaw Boulevard into a worldclass celebration of black art and culture. It was first promised to open in 2023, then 2024, and here we are still waiting, still suffering. The businesses along this corridor, blackowned businesses are suffocating. Construction chaos everywhere, shuttered storefronts, a community being bled dry by broken promises. So I stand by my earlier formulation that neglect becomes a decision. But as I have thought more about the gross negligence, the incompetence on steroids, it occurs to me that sometimes neglect isn't just a decision. Neglect is the default position of some black electeds. Not all, but some. They just don't believe that black folk deserve the very best.

[00:33:38]They don't believe that we deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. So, we go from being constituents on the campaign trail to collateral once they're sworn into office. And when, for example, one is termed out of office and can't run again, but is still clutching the gabble of power, one thinks that he can stay comfortably above the frame while we anguish for years on end. The apparent attitude is, I'll just leave this mess for the next person to clean up. That's what it feels like, Mr. president, Mr. LA city council president. But it's not just him. It's the local media, too. Black and white, corporate and independent. Look at how little has been said about this neverending nightmare in Crrenshaw. year after year after year, nobody at city hall and nobody who's supposed to be holding city hall accountable seems to care one bit about the safety and security of Princeaw residents and the black business owners who are slowly being strangled. Don't be fooled. This isn't just a construction delay. This is what disrespect looks like with a budget attached. With a KBLA Talk 1580 editorial, I'm Tavis Smiley. As always, we welcome your feedback.

[00:35:14]>> This is KBLA Talk 1580, where hate meets a scholarly match.

[00:35:20]We're talking with Marquell Bridges. Um, talking about baby Cohen Wy, who was murdered by a Mississippi cop. Marquell, I know you've worked for years with Black Lives Matter grassroots. I know you have your own uh organization, Building Bridges. Tell us how to follow you and how to find uh out about the work that you're doing. I know, for example, with Carmelo Anthony, we have the website carlo uh free carmelo.net. net. That's Carmelo with a K. So that folks can get accurate information. And I want to make sure that people know how to find true information regarding Baby Cohen because the lies, the dis and misinformation, the influencers who don't know what they're talking about or who simply make stuff up for clicks are loud.

[00:36:10]>> Thank you uh for that. It is Marquwell Bridges on all platforms. M A R Q U E L L E B R I D G S U um on all platforms uh for continual information. Um and thank you for that. Yeah, it's you know it it's really I think in a way we were talking about how with these mounting murders of of young children of of black boys um you know that Cyrus and and and the jailing of Carmelo and um the murder of baby Cohen, it's feeling like this just one thing after another. It's giving the pressure of a 2020, but I feel like it's a much more challenging media environment because there are so many more influencers that have real big followings that don't know what they're talking about, that are immediately posting about these things. um the the police um and the right, the conservatives, um the people that don't love justice have gotten a lot louder and a lot more tricky on social media and and slick about the way that they shift blame onto families. They've always done it, but the demonization of these children and their families, uh we see it on steroids with the case of Carmelo Anthony. And I I want us to learn. We have to learn right now because if they if this continues, which I you know looking at the trend line, I don't see it stopping. We are going to need to make sure that we are tapped in to accurate information.

[00:37:57]>> Exa Exactly. Um that's why we we created um through um the field report through Melanie and Marie out of St. Louis um that's accurately covering all those brothers and sisters that's on the ground in different cases. Um I totally agree with you. Um and not just um she often speaks to me about the digital warfare that our people are believing behind and that's what you're you're you're discussing and bringing to the forefront of people mind is that these people have launched the digital campaign digital racism where they're pushing these narratives and these narratives just like with the Carmelo Anthony trial or Cyrusqame Belton can become so loud that people ignore the facts.

[00:38:44]>> Yeah. you know, of of the case based off just what they heard off of these digital platforms, narratives being pushed, >> right? Or they think they know the facts and what they know is actually wrong, you know.

[00:38:55]>> Yes.

[00:38:55]>> Um, so I had read, speaking of things that are wrong, that the family of uh baby Cohen, Cohen Wy had asked people to stop posting his picture. Is that right?

[00:39:07]>> Um, no. I that that has not came uh from the family at all to my knowledge. Um, and I'll explain who I'm contacted with.

[00:39:16]That's mother, father, maternal grandmother, paternal grandfather. Both sides of the family. They're working as a cohesive unit. They're unified.

[00:39:25]They're organized. The sen the city of Sentopia. One good thing that came out of this that it showed me is they're ready. They're ready for change. They're willing. Um, and my goal is just to help them get organized and show them how.

[00:39:38]But they're ready. They're tired.

[00:39:40]They're sick and tired of being sick and tired. and they're not afraid. They just got to get organized and unified.

[00:39:47]>> Um, I understand that, you know, in the case of Carmelo Anthony, a lot of people were critical of the attorney and and the way that the case was mounted. Um, and they, you know, and Black Lives Matter grassroots was on the ground there every single day at the trial and the racists were on the ground there every single day at the trial. A lot of missing disinformation. I understand they're still um searching for a an app an appellet lawyer even though they filed uh intention to appeal. Um my what I'm reading is that the family uh the family of um Cohen Wy has retained Ben Crump.

[00:40:28]>> Yes. Yes, that is that is uh correct.

[00:40:31]That happened while um I was on the ground. Um, and we're just gearing up for the funeral and for the fight.

[00:40:40]>> What about fundraisers? Again, with Anthony, the the Gibson and Go took all that money away. Um, I was wrong yesterday. I thought they had withdrawn some of the money, but no, every penny of it was given back to the donors and as of now that family uh is only getting private donations through their own cash apps or whatever. Is there any fundraiser taking place for the family of baby Cohen? They have to bury this child. They're going to have, you know, they're going to have all kinds of legal expenses.

[00:41:13]>> I'm glad you brought this up because there's been a lot of false narratives.

[00:41:17]This family hasn't even set up a GoFundMe, which of course in the organizing space, I encourage them to. Me as a as an organizer, I don't take up any funds for families. um that can get messy. I don't take up any donation or like that. What I do is I direct people to the families, whatever they set up, but they haven't even set anything up. So, this notion of they're just after some money or that's totally false that they're handling all this themselves. Community members have stepped up, several community members have um offered to pledge um to take care of the funeral expenses, but the family hasn't even accepted that. you know, they they they love this they love this baby. They want to do this right >> and they care. So, you know, when you care like that, >> oftentimes I've met families that even though it's offered, they want to pay themselves.

[00:42:11]>> Yeah.

[00:42:11]>> Cuz it was their baby, but they they're they're going to need funds to continue this fight. This is a long road. If you've never been in this fight, I'll give you a brief synopsis. Best case is two years. Two years later, you get your day in court. They try to stretch you out right there before your statute of limitations to file civily. So, it's just an ongoing fight and the resources is for to fly people in, to buy rooms, to buy bring family members in, to buy posters, to buy signs, to drive and gas and show up to all these places, all these things that you have bright ideas and you're going to be telling and encouraging the family to do. All of those things cost money. what I went down there and did this weekend, all of that cost money out my own pocket to make that happen and to take time off work to do that. So, understand why the family needs the money to fight, not to just go parlay or party. They need it to to pursue justice.

[00:43:06]>> That's a really great point.

[00:43:07]>> If an attorney >> Yeah.

[00:43:08]>> Yeah. And even if the attorney that comes in and say, "Oh, well, we'll represent you initially pro bono," they get paid. Ben Crump is going to get paid in the end. So everything that they need costs money.

[00:43:22]>> Yeah. And I'm glad you said that, too, because that's part of the smear campaign against Mr. Anthony. Oh, they just want money. I mean, even the uh the Metaf uh father was saying that on his life. Well, they they haven't got any money because Gibson go took it. And also there's all these expenses including they had to relocate their whole family because they're getting death threats. We you know, you don't and there's no I don't care how terrible a family is. There's no family in the world, no black family that would trade their kid for some money in a GoFundMe.

[00:43:57]That's that's >> a ridiculous and stupid talking point.

[00:44:03]>> And Mr. Prim, I'm glad you brought that up because people wasn't looking at, and somebody brought this up to me the other day. They said, "Did you see the standard of living for Carmelo and his parents before all of this?"

[00:44:20]And they they they wasn't poor black people. They had just bought him a new Jeep for his 16th birthday. They were they were living comfortably. So So you you you hear for for a average person living in poverty, you hear 600,000 or whatever it was and you like these people have made it. This might be their bills.

[00:44:41]So, you know, all of that comes into play when you're talking about these these situations, but but they were they were welloff black people um that had to uproot their life to protect their child and they made the right decision in doing so. Um lost their jobs, income stopped, um just the overwhelming nature of this fight when you're supposed to be grieving or processing. Now you have to turn around and become a justice warrior, a lawyer, a organizer, all the things >> to to to to try to achieve justice and just some sort of transparency um from the people who who supposed to give you and nobody looks at that. What do you do when the people who are you go to for answers are the ones who committed the murder and they're not telling you nothing? They're not turning nothing over to your lawyers. They're stalling you out. They're putting out propaganda and lies about you and your family. How do you navigate that process and how do you fight that system to to achieve accountability, transparency, and equal justice?

[00:45:42]>> Yeah. And that is it. Cuz why would they not want to put out that cam body cam footage if it if it justified them? Why would they not put out the Walmart footage? Because they know it shows the woman paying for the diapers. They know it shows a, you know, a loving mama and her friend that are just customers being murdered in a parking lot for no reason. But to me, >> Exactly. And to me, this idea, the reason that that another reason it makes me angry that they have to that everyone keeps saying, "And they didn't even steal the diapers and he didn't even steal the water because there's the implication that one, they would be justified in being murdered if they did steal the water or the diapers. And two, because it is meant to paint these black people as dishonest thieves, not worthy of life, which is the general stereotype of us anyway. So these little signals, these little signals, these dog whistles and dog sirens, they do it not just because of the criminal aspect. They do it because they want to trigger the images in your mind and in potential juror's minds that our lives are not worthy of accountability.

[00:47:04]>> Totally.

[00:47:05]already criminalizing before they even um have their day in court for for u privileged people. Those who lack melanin, you know, they're innocent until proven guilty.

[00:47:17]>> We're guilty until proven innocent.

[00:47:20]>> And even when we're proven innocent, [clears throat] a lot of time we're still guilty.

[00:47:25]>> Marquel, what do you say to people who are critical of um Cohen's mama because she wasn't crying in that video?

[00:47:36]So I I'll do my bless like 20 seconds as fast as possible. I know we're on the radio. When the people that pro supposed to protect you kill your loved one, kill your child, kill your mother, fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, dads, there is something called blinding grief.

[00:47:55]You know that it's the only time I see this happen. And I' I've dealt with some terrible situations, been involved with some terrible cases of all kind of dramatic traumatic things that has happened to people in life, even my own personal life. But there's nothing like when the police kill your loved one and being left with no answers. These families honestly don't know up from down, right from left. Um, and that's why it's so activist and organized, righteous brothers and sisters, men and women of the community that has no intention and no agenda, but justice, truth, transparency is so important to surround themselves with because they don't know. And also, you got to think they wasn't even allowed to see Cohen's body. M >> she wasn't even allowed father, mother, grandmother, grandfather, they wasn't even allowed to hug and say goodbye, >> you know. So often times it doesn't >> What's the possible justification for that?

[00:48:57]>> Hiding their crimes. Didn't want them to take pictures to to to show what they actually did to this baby.

[00:49:03]>> They didn't want to emit till moment.

[00:49:06]>> Yes, we've seen it in several cases.

[00:49:08]That's the new BL blueprint. Hide the body. Hide the body. send you a bag of bones back like they did with Rashine Carter. Send you um something that that cut up where we can justify the damage to the body versus people actually seeing what it looks like when you shoot a baby.

[00:49:27]>> Imagine bearing your one-year-old child.

[00:49:30]I for me as a mama, I know it also has to be shock. Just pure shock. You know, you get in a fender bender, your body goes into shock. Imagine you holding your baby, holding your one-year-old precious, beautiful little baby, and a bullet goes into them. And what a bullet does to a little baby's body, and y'all want her to have a performative reaction that satisfies your requirements.

[00:49:59]Don't. Yeah, I I can't. Marquel Bridges is our guest. We'll continue the conversation when we come forward on KBLA Talk 1580. First things first with Dominic de Prima. When >> we come forward, >> if you're an African-Amean mom who is pregnant or have a baby under 6 months old, you deserve care that lifts, listens, and lasts. Black Infant Health is for you. It's a free program with individual support, group sessions, and resources to start your mothering journey. BI makes space for moms and their families to create community.

[00:50:38]Learn more about the programs in Los Angeles County. Check us out at blackinfenhealth.org.

[00:50:45]>> You know him, you trust him. And now the whole nation is taking notice. Talkers magazine, the bible of talk radio, has ranked Tavis Smiley number 14 on their prestigious Heavyund list.

[00:50:58]>> 100 Voices, the most important in all of talk radio. Tavis has moved from number 45 to number 33 to number [music] 16 and now he's in the top 15 right here on your station. His is one of the most trusted, credible, and reliable voices in broadcast media today. Straight, no chaser. Always brings you the conversations that matter. The news makers, the truth tellers, the voices that don't get heard anywhere else. Weekdays on this station.

[00:51:30]This is what it sounds like when your community has a seat at the table.

[00:51:38]>> Knock knock. Capital 1 bank guy.

[00:51:40]>> Wow, Charles Barkley.

[00:51:42]>> I just moved into the neighborhood. Can I borrow some Wi-Fi?

[00:51:45]>> Sure, Chuck. That's what the Capital One Cafe is here for. Open seven days a week.

[00:51:49]>> Oh, can I use your ATM? My dog Walker only takes cash.

[00:51:52]>> Anything for a neighbor?

[00:51:53]>> Can I try the cash phrase?

[00:51:55]>> Sure. Take it for a spin.

[00:51:56]>> There's no fees and minimums on Capital One checking accounts. Nice, Chuck. I'll take it from here. Capital One, what's in your wallet?

[00:52:04]>> Terms apply. Visit capital1.com/banky for details. Capital One and a member of FDIC.

[00:52:08]>> At KDLA Talk 1580, we do more than JUST TALK.

[00:52:12]>> HELLO, JOE. YOU'RE UP. WELCOME.

[00:52:13]>> We're unapologetically progressive and we don't black down.

[00:52:17]>> Indeed, we do not. And we ask that you don't black down either. Um, we have got to be plugged in. And I get it. um that that um people are feeling away.

[00:52:31]Somebody Morris said he was going to tune out of the chat because it was too sad. And I understand that we're talking about baby Cohen Wy who was killed by Mississippi police um and specifically um one specific officer uh Hunter Foster. Marquel Bridges is my guest, a longtime activist there. Um, and I wanted to get back to solutions for the Morrises of the world. Um, and and and Dr. Molina Abdullah is in in our YouTube chat, she says, "At a certain point, we have to say, I don't care what the police say they did." And that's right. That's one of the things that we should have learned with George Floyd if we didn't learn it with Trayvon Martin. We don't believe the official story.

[00:53:22]believe what the evidence and the data shows. Don't believe the official story.

[00:53:25]So, Marquell, let's get back to um how we can help solutions. What are the demands? How can we help make these demands um come come about and how can we be part of the solution?

[00:53:40]So, we need our people to to choose um in the spirit of the Montgomery boy US boycott um that lasted we know close to a year um where they walked and chose to go to different towns, we need people to actually choose and be conscious and intentional and purposely stay away from Walmart to affect their e economic power so they can put pressure on the police um and this mayor and this to resolve this. We need constant pressure on the mayor and the chief and the police department. Both of them need to be fired. But um we we talked about a lot of things and this is what's always point and I agree with um Dr. Molina's point. This what always resolves it for me. If you show us nei neither side has to speculate and when we were talking about digital warfare I want people to be conscious of the longer this whole they hold this tape with modern AI what are they doing we have to be really conscious of this digital warfare that's going on and the AI we got on our smartphones is not the one that the government and the police have they have way more capabilities and you have to understand that. So, if you're holding this video for months or a year and then you put out this false narrative, how can we believe you? Stop allowing the police to tell us what to see versus showing us right away. You know, you if if it was a shoplifting accusation of alleged shop, you could show us what they did in Walmart right now. Clear that up for everybody. If you say she tried to run into officers, you can release that tape and show us and that doesn't hinder the investigation at all because you already made these public lies and public statements them.

[00:55:29]I mean the police department. So release what you said, release the the transcript of the call that showed you had a reason to be there. Um and you wasn't just in the parking lot um for this other call that had nothing to do with this these women and these babies and you just killed this black woman.

[00:55:46]Show us. But I know they want to cause division. I know they want to cause um unrest to keep us distracted. But just show us and everything is resolved.

[00:55:56]>> Yeah. And I feel like if if there was any any chance that that car was driving towards those cops like they claim that that video would already be out.

[00:56:07]>> Yes. It's alleged that the hunter shot he wasn't even the one close by >> that there were other officers closer to the car.

[00:56:17]>> Yeah. And never shot the two black officers never shot another white officer never shot. So, you know, that's going to be the legality in Bean's job.

[00:56:27]You know, I when you get in civil court and criminal court and they call all those officers to the stand, they're going to have to answer the question of why did you choose not to fire your weapon?

[00:56:38]>> And if they be honest, they're going to say cuz we wasn't in any danger and we didn't feel threatened by two women and the baby.

[00:56:44]>> So then Hunter is going to have to explain, how did you feel threatened if nobody else in the situation shared your viewpoint of your perspective? And we know that it's against police policy to throw themselves in harm's way.

[00:57:00]>> And as you said at the beginning of this conversation, he's a he is a man with a history of racism so bad that his fellow police in Mississippi complained about his racial statements.

[00:57:11]He It sounds to me like he was being what his name is, a hunter. A hunter of black babies.

[00:57:21]Exactly. Exactly. I I think it was intentional. I think it was purposeful.

[00:57:26]I think he saw a opportunity of what he thought was a free kill to kill some black people and he took it.

[00:57:34]>> Free kill.

[00:57:35]>> And and they use this same justification. I need my people to understand just like the running away, just like the having weapons, just like the drugs, just like the criminalization, this new form of justification that they not figured out that gets them off is saying that your car is a weapon. They did it in Calvin Kaine's case and he didn't even know they were there. They jumped out on him.

[00:57:56]He's just leaving his apartment complex.

[00:57:58]They did it with Dvari Robinson. They've done it so many other times. and the need for the boycott of Walmart. As I said, another 65 year old woman was brutalized in her parking [clears throat] lot >> in their parking lot. There there's a long history. So, we need our people to come together and unity. That's the biggest key of what we need right now is unity and solidarity.

[00:58:19]>> Thank you so much, Marquell. I'm up against the clock here, but I really appreciate you and the work that you're doing.

[00:58:25]>> Thank you for having me on. Have a great day.

[00:58:27]>> KBLA talk 1580.

[00:58:30]KBLA 1580 Santa Monica.

[00:58:35]>> I'm Alexandria Ikimone with BIN News.

[00:58:38]Now, Hilly Bryant in Michigan has been found competent to stand trial on three child abuse charges after police found three children living alone in filth in February of 2025. A judge agreed with the psychiatrics findings that Bryant, a black woman, is competent.

[00:58:55]>> We'll see you Monday, August 24th for trial.

[00:58:59]The Federal Reserve is leaving interest rates alone. It's the fourth straight time the Fed has kept rates steady. The decision marks the first with new Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Worsh.

[00:59:11]President Trump is set to award the Medal of Honor. Major James Capers Jr.

[00:59:15]led his team through a deadly ambush in South Vietnam in 1967. [music] Injured and bleeding, Capers got his nine-man team to a helicopter for evacuation after four days and nights of fighting.

[00:59:28]BN News Now on demand on the iHeart Radio app.

[00:59:33]>> Attention Ram owners. Complete recall 67A. Get $500 and the chance to win a getaway to Miami for two to see the final race of the season. Plus, meet Brendan Butterbean Queen. Learn more and schedule at cuminsrecall.com.

[00:59:47]>> Is this the title?

[00:59:49]>> This is the KBLA Sports Minute with Ray Richard.

[00:59:52]>> I'M A BAD MAN. New York Knicks owner James Dolan said his team has been invited to the White House by Trump to celebrate the Knicks NBA championship.

[01:00:00]Dolan and Trump have been friends for more than 30 years. No date has been confirmed for the Knicks White House appearance. The more important question is, will Nick Knicks players go with Dolan to the White House? There has been a lot of animosity between NBA players and Trump during his two terms as president. The last five NBA teams that won the championship while Trump was in office declined his invitation to come to the White House. The Golden State Warriors said no in 2017 and 2018. The Toronto Raptors said no in 2019. The Lakers declined in 2020. The Oklahoma City Thunder said no after winning last year's title. It will be interesting to see how Knicks players react if Dolan who signs their paychecks insists that they come with him to the White House.

[01:00:43]Stay tuned. No debates, no speculation, just the info you need. That's your KBLA Sports Minute. I'm Ray Richardson on KBLA Talk 1580.

[01:00:56]>> All I need is one mic >> with a KBLA talk 1580 editorial. I'm Tavis Smiley. In my prior commentary about Destination Craw, or Procrastination Crrenshaw as we call it around here, I opine that sometimes neglect becomes a decision. I want to challenge my own neglect becomes a decision thesis in just a moment. This $100 million revitalization project was supposed to transform 1.3 miles of Princeaw Boulevard into a worldclass celebration of black art and culture. It was first promised to open in 2023, then 2024. And here we are still waiting, still suffering. The businesses along this corridor, blackowned businesses are suffocating. Construction chaos everywhere, shuttered storefronts, a community being bled dry by broken promises. So I stand by my earlier formulation that neglect becomes a decision. But as I have thought [music] more about the gross negligence, the incompetence on steroids, it occurs to me that sometimes neglect isn't just a decision. Neglect is the default position of some black electives. Not all, but some. They just don't believe that black folk deserve the very best.

[01:02:18]They don't believe that we deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. So, we go from being constituents on the campaign trail to collateral once they're sworn into office. And when, for example, one is termed out of office and can't run again, but is still clutching the gabble of power, one thinks that he can stay comfortably above the frey while we anguish for years on end. The apparent attitude is, I'll just leave this mess