Breaking News


Jury To Begin Deliberating Monday In Taylor Death Penalty Case

Defense Chooses To Put On No Proof

Friday, September 05, 2008

Jury deliberation will begin Monday in Chattanooga's first Federal Court death penalty case after attorneys for Rejon Taylor said they plan to put on no proof.

The government closed out its case on Friday morning with Hamilton County Medical Examiner Dr. Frank King testifying that Atlanta restaurant operator Guy Luck suffered four gunshot wounds when he was murdered at Collegedale on Aug. 6, 2003.

Attorney Leslie Corey said Taylor should not be convicted of murder because the only witness who was also in the van at the time of the killing said it was not a carjacking or robbery. Taylor, who was 19 at the time, is charged with carjacking, kidnapping, murder in conjunction with carjacking and murder in conjunction with kidnapping.

Sir Jack Matthews shocked prosecutors on Thursday by completely reversing his earlier statements and saying he, Taylor and Joey Marshall had been on a trip with the restaurant operator to deliver a package of marijuana to a house in Collegedale.

Prosecutor Steve Neff on Friday said that testimony by the government witness was "inherently ridiculous."

If the jury finds Taylor guilty of murder, the panel would return on Wednesday, Sept. 17, to begin a penalty phase of the trial.

The panel would decide whether he received the death penalty or life in prison.

Matthews and Marshall earlier entered guilty pleas to all charges and are facing life terms.

Dr. King said Mr. Luck was shot once in the mouth and also had gunshot wounds to the upper back, left shoulder and lower arm. He died five and a half hours later at Erlanger Hospital.

Prosecutors said three of the shots, including the most serious one to the mouth, came from the .38-caliber handgun wielded by Taylor, who was driving the victim's van.

They said the other shot came from a 9-mm. handgun that was fired by Matthews before the gun jammed.

Dr. King said the shot to the mouth was at close range and would have made it difficult for the victim to breathe and caused serious blood loss.

Mr. Luck, after stumbling from the van, told persons who arrived on the scene, "I've been robbed."

Dr. King said the victim also had suffered a number of blows to the head, which he said could have been caused by the butt of Matthews' gun.

He said there was no sign of alcohol or drugs in the victim's body.

Attorney Corey said there was no proof that Taylor had planned to kill the restaurant operator, whose mail he had earlier taken and whose home he had burglarized several times, according to the proof.

She said he had "panicked and shot wildly out of fear" after Mr. Luck apparently became upset over some statement and made a move toward one of those in the vehicle.

She told Judge Curtis Collier, "This was totally spontaneous. There was no malice aforethought."

Attorney Corey said if there was a plan to do away with the victim, "it would have been much easier to do at his house rather than take him across the state line."

Prosecutor Neff said there was "copious evidence" to support a guilty conviction on all charges despite the change of testimony by Matthews, who he said was "not believable at all."


Latest County Jail Booking Reports

Here are the latest county jail booking reports from Hamilton County and Walker County: Hamilton County: ANDERSON, TIFFANY M 6616 FLAGSTONE DRIVE OOLTEWAH, 37363 28 Hamilton County     DOMESTIC ASSAULT     ASSAULT     RESISTING ARREST AVILES, DANIEL 190 HIDDEN LANE SPRING CITY, 37381 54 Soddy Daisy     ... (click for more)

Pickup Truck Crosses To Wrong Side Of Hixson Pike: Other Driver Killed

A pickup truck went across Hixson Pike into the opposing lane of traffic on Saturday afternoon, then struck another vehicle. The driver of that car was killed. At 4:51 p.m., Chattanooga Police officers responded to the traffic crash at 4900 Hixson Pike.  The officers found that a pickup truck driven by a 68-year-old man was southbound on Highway 153 and exited onto southbound ... (click for more)

We Are Blessed To Have Ron Littlefield As Our Mayor - And Response (2)

Chattanooga is blessed beyond measure to have Ron Littlefield as our mayor.  It is a total travesty our city has had to endure the long frivolous battle with absolutely  no foundation other than disagreement with policy issues.  It has always been a vendetta directed personally at Mayor Littlefield which, if the "interveners" decide to appeal, will be a proven fact.   ... (click for more)

Roy Exum: The Westminster Dogs Bark!

The brightly-lit tower on top of New York City’s Empire State Building is now purple and gold, the traditional colors of the much-beloved 136th Annual Westminster Dog Show that is currently being staged at Madison Square Garden. For a dog lover like me, the televised finals are always a fun-filled delight as the USA and CNBC networks show the spectacular animals on Monday and Tuesday ... (click for more)

Moc Wrestlers Drop Two At National Duals

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team dropped a pair of matches in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Cliff Keen National Duals Presented by Hibiclens and The Marines in Stillwater, Okla., today. The Mocs fell to No. 10 Wyoming (38-6) and Boise State (25-17) to drop to 11-6 overall. Chattanooga, the fifth seed in the six-team regional, only got ... (click for more)

Kentucky Softball Signs Silverdale's Henderson, Soddy-Daisy's Nunley

LEXINGTON, Ky. –   After racking up the best season in school history in 2011, UK softball coach Rachel Lawson has signed a heralded class of eight highly-touted athletes from across the country for the 2013 season. The Wildcats have signed Silverdale Baptist Academy's Katie Henderson (Hixscon, Tenn.), Kelsey Nunley (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.), Darington Richardson (Duluth, ... (click for more)