Mistrial called in murder case

The capital murder trial of Jonathan Michael Taylor was continued in March after his co-defendant Nadiya Diane Walker agreed to plead guilty and testify against him. Taylor’s murder trial two weeks ago ended in a mistrial over some missing or misplaced evidence and Escambia County District Attorney Steve Billy said Taylor’s murder trial will be reset for November.

Taylor and Walker were both charged capital murder in the March 15, 2015 killing of Cory Brian Moncrief.

Prior to selecting a jury for Taylor’s trial in March, defense attorney Earnie White learned that Walker had reached an agreement with the district attorney’s office to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and be sentenced to 30 years in prison in return for her testifying against Taylor. White then asked Circuit Judge Jack Weaver for a continuance. White noted he had not prepared to cross examine Walker and said he needed more time to prepare.

Judge Weaver granted the continuance, but he rejected Walker’s guilty plea. Judge Weaver said attorneys could renegotiate Walker’s plea agreement and bring it back to him for consideration.

Less than a week later, Walker and her attorneys Danny White and Kevin McKinley were back before Judge Weaver and Walker said she was pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder.

Judge Weaver said due to her prior felony conviction it would carry a 15 years to life sentence. She agreed and Judge Weaver said he would wait until after Taylor’s trial to sentence Walker.

Taylor is facing either life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty if convicted of capital murder.

During Walker’s trial two weeks ago, White asked for a mistrial after learning there was some evidence that was not given to the defense during the discovery period. Judge Weaver agreed, declared a mistrial and sent the jury home.

District Attorney Steve Billy said it was unfortunate and there was nothing willful on either side.

He said there were some lab results that had not been received so the results or swabs couldn’t be given to the defense to conduct its own testing.

Billy said due to the circumstances he felt the mistrial was justified, but added Taylor’s trial will be held in November.