posted August 20, 2008
Chattanooga's first federal death penalty case is set to begin on Monday at 9 a.m. with Judge Curtis Collier presiding.
The case in which an Atlanta youth, Rejon Taylor, is charged in the murder of Atlanta restaurant operator Guy Luck in 2004 is expected to last six weeks.
Two other Atlanta youths charged in the murder - Sir Jack Matthews and Joey Montrez Marshall - have agreed to plead guilty and are set to testify against Taylor.
The jury will not be sequestered, and Judge Collier said there will be some breaks in the trial while he attends to other matters.
Prosecutors Steve Neff and Chris Poole said the death penalty is being sought on grounds "it was an intentional killing, there was intentional infliction of serious bodily harm, it involved an intentional act to take life or use lethal force and it was an intentional act in reckless disregard for life."
The two sides have agreed that the victim's girlfriend, Stephanie Belcher, will not enter the courtroom, but will watch on a TV monitor in the U.S. Marshall's office the opening and closing statements and the testimony of Matthews and Marshall.
It is charged that Taylor and the other defendants kidnapped Mr. Luck in Atlanta, killed him during the ensuing drive north and dumped his body in Collegedale.
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