Kosciusko mayoral race goes unanimously to white incumbent – All taxpayers pay to maintain white power. Signed, sealed, delivered by an 83 percent white jury.

By Christopher Young,
Contributing Writer,

For three very long days, November 12-14, 2025, Attala County Circuit Court was the scene for the contested mayoral race between incumbent Tim Kyle and challenger Marvin K. Myles, Jr. Readers will recall the race was called for Mr. Myles on election night – June 3rd – but the next day the Kosciusko Municipal Clerk, Michelle Quesnot, claimed “human error” stating that the absentee ballots had not been included in the final totals, effectively handing the race to her boss for a second term as mayor – following his twenty years as at-large alderman. A scene, indeed. 

Had Marvin K. Myles, Jr. prevailed he would have become the first ever African American Mayor of Koscisusko, a city with a 60% African American population, but there was more at stake in his challenge of the election results – the sanctity of the vote, the voting process, handling of ballots, departures from established procedures and law, fairness, and honesty.  

Exercising the right to vote and to have that vote tabulated and maintained securely by those people whose duty it is to conduct elections and process returns is nothing less than sacred, especially to African Americans in Mississippi. We never forget, and they never stop trying to make us forget. Recalling just some of the names – Reverend George Lee, Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer, Chaney-Goodman-Schwerner, James Meredith (born in Kosciusko), Vernon Dahmer, and Medgar Evers – brings into inescapable focus the hallowed importance of the vote.   

To come up inside the Courthouse and to get up on high – to the only courtroom – you must go through a lot. Eighteen tiered steps, passing by Ole Johnny Reb to get into the front door. In the lobby there are twelve pictures hanging on the walls – nothing but pale faces depicted. Then you climb the twenty-five steps to the courtroom to see another twelve framed photos on the wall – past judges and such – you already know how they look. City workers were putting up  Christmas decorations last week – they erected the Nativity scene – more pale faces – even the little baby Jesus in his mother’s arms. A 60% African American city, mind you.

Most of Day 1 was focused on empaneling a jury – a jury of peers – to hear and decide on the case. The jury pool consisted of 53 people – just 32% African American, in a 60% African American city. The twelve that decided the case were seven white women, three white men, zero African American women, and two African American men. When I asked Circuit Court Clerk Tim Pinkard how this could happen, he stated, “it’s all done randomly by the SIMS system.” Answering this way, he conveniently ignores that this jury pool was not a fair cross-section of the community, as required by federal law and Mississippi Code 13-5-26

The case was not about who the next dogcatcher would be, but if Pastor Marvin Myles, Jr. could prove there were violations of election law statues, sufficient to overturn the election and make him mayor. Woefully for him it had to be proved to an 83.3% white jury and under the direction of a staunch Republican judge. Despite hiring one of the finest attorneys in Mississippi – Lisa M. Ross – the deck was stacked too high.

The former State Legislator, Mark C. Baker, Sr. – straight out of Rankin County – was brought in and paid for by the City of Kosciusko, effectively defending the interests of the incumbent mayor, Tim Kyle. Baker in turn brought in none other than James L. “Pete” Perry as an expert witness on elections. Fumbling, bumbling, one lady asked me on a break during cross-examination, “Did he keep saying it’s the law, but then when asked about specifics of the law by Miss Ross, claim he couldn’t say for sure?” I confessed to her that she heard right, but that it only matters what the jurors were hearing, and most of them were nodding their heads in seeming agreement with every word he said. Based on the numbers he provided under oath; he would receive $150 per hour for review and preparation and $200 per hour for three days in court – a tidy payday – all focused on preserving the status quo.

Attorney Baker zealously earned his keep; shouting, trying to characterize Pastor Myles, Jr. as an angry black man, talking to African American witnesses as if they were third-graders – markedly different than the manner in which he addressed the white witnesses, trying to impugn the character of African American witnesses – all in an effort to preserve the reported final vote tally of 691-665. All in a day’s work for him – many would surely call it good lawyering. Attorney Ross was equally zealous in her cause, though never once raised her voice. Her deportment was direct, determined, and professional – even when questioning City Clerk Quesnot – who was central to their case that election integrity had been destroyed – and who admitted under oath that she did not follow her own procedures in numerous instances.

After the “acceptable” absentee and “acceptable” affidavit ballots were tabulated, it came down to twenty-six votes. Imagine telling poll workers not to follow the very procedures that you have trained them to follow. Imagine being the de facto supervisor of the election process and not following state law. Imagine having a seal-log to record any time ballot boxes are opened but presuming yourself to not have to use it – after all, you are the City Clerk and report directly to the mayor. The list of wrongs went on and on.

I remember my father, whose profession required him to testify often – as an actual expert witness – saying that there is one four-letter word that you rarely hear in a court of law. That word is fair. Today I’m focused on the word, justice. After sitting in that courtroom for three long days, I’m certain that I never saw either.