Kairos Outside Weekend, Florida, November 2025 by Jodi Stocker

Our team recently received beautiful fall pictures of Carly as a child to share on our Facebook pages. The Halloween pictures show her over the years, in her Harry Potter cape…always Harry Potter. Smiling proudly after nights of trick or treating. Carly with her mom. Her mom dressed as a pirate, Carly, of course, as a Hogwarts student.

America, the Land of the Free, as seen by Bryan Stark.

This past weekend I had the honor of returning to Mississippi to be part of something Carly’s Warriors have been planning for months..a weekend to remember Ashley Smylie and to let our voices be heard at the Mississippi Supreme Court steps.

This past week, I made the long journey from England to Mississippi for the one year anniversary of Carly’s sentencing. What unfolded was more than just a trip, it was a chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with Carly’s family, to honor Ashley’s memory, and to remind ourselves why we continue fighting for justice.

A System of Empty Promises

As the months of the year fall by and we approach the 1 year anniversary of Carly's trial, we are now at a critical turning point in the fight for justice for Carly. After a rushed trial, a devastating life sentence, and months of delays, Carly’s appeal is finally before the Mississippi Supreme Court. While the process has been slow and complex, one thing is clear: this case is far from over.

I started the Justice for Carly Gregg Facebook group because what happened to her is not justice—it is cruelty wrapped in the appearance of law. At just 15 years old, Carly was in the middle of a mental health crisis, brought on in part by the effects of Lexapro. Something tragic happened. But instead of grace, understanding, or compassion, the system cast her aside.

Two Dates That Changed Everything for Me

Why Carly Gregg Matters to Me

Being part of this advocacy is not just something I’ve chosen—it’s something that has chosen me, in the most profound and personal way.