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A Minnesota prosecutor - nicknamed 'Bloody Mary' after a slew of criminals walked free - is seeking to release a convicted murderer early after he turned his life around behind bars.
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he → see → bars
The office of Hennepin County attorney Mary Moriarty, 62, has argued that the sentence handed to Kemen Taylor II, now 40, for his role in the killing of a 13-year-old boy in 2011 'represents a miscarriage of justice.'
Andrew Markquart, the leader of Moriarty's Conviction Integrity Unit, requested a prosecutor-initiated sentence adjustment (PISA) earlier this year on behalf of Taylor, the Star Tribune reported.
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Tribune → argue → Taylor
It was argued by the prosecutor's office that, had Taylor taken the plea deal he was offered, he would not have been punished so harshly.
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he → argue → deal
In 2014, Taylor was found guilty of nine felonies, including aiding and abetting first-degree premeditated murder as well as attempted murder, and was sentenced to life behind bars.
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Taylor → find → bars
Now, Moriarty's office has argued that Taylor is a 'middle-aged man past the stage of life in which individuals are most likely to commit violent crimes,' Markquart wrote, noting that Taylor was also planning a wedding, the outlet reported.
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outlet → argue → wedding
He was 25 years old when he and two teenagers, Derrick Catchings and Donquarius Copeland, went looking for rival gang members after his brother had been shot in the arm.
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brother → go → arm
According to the Tribune, Taylor had been aware that his passengers were intending to shoot someone and encouraged them to do so.
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passengers → accord → them
The office of Hennepin County attorney Mary Moriarty, 62, has argued that the sentence handed to Kemen Taylor II, now 40, for his role in the killing of a 13-year-old boy in 2011 'represents a miscarriage of justice'
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sentence → argue → justice
In 2014, Taylor was found guilty of nine felonies, including aiding and abetting first-degree premeditated murder as well as attempted murder, and was sentenced to life behind bars
Ray’Jon Gomez, 13, was shot in 2011 by Derrick Catchings, who was 15 at the time, and Donquarius Copeland, who was 16, while Taylor, 25 at the time, was their getaway driver
The group saw a group of boys on bikes and both teens got out of the van before they fired their weapons, striking 13-year-old Ray’Jon Gomez in the heart and his 12-year-old friend in the shoulder, the outlet reported.
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outlet → find → shoulder
Taylor was the group's getaway driver and did not fire a weapon.
Catchings, who was 15 at the time, and Copeland, who was 16, both pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were sentenced to 34 years behind bars.
If Taylor's sentence adjustment is approved by Judge Shereen Askalani, his life sentence would be cut down to 26 years allowing him to be released on probation in 2030, the outlet reported.
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outlet → fire → 2030
Kevin Funchie, Gomez's father, told the outlet that the appeal is 'sickening.
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appeal → tell → outlet
'
'I was really against it because [Taylor] went to trial and lost.
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Taylor → go → trial
Now they're saying it was inhumane how much time he got and this and that and they're going to try to rehabilitate him and reduce his sentence,' he added.
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he → say → sentence
Funchie told the outlet that he had been made aware of the request by the county attorney's office and had attended the hearings to hear the arguments for his sentence reduction.
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he → tell → reduction
'It was all one-sided, there were no laws for the victims,' he said.
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he → be → victims
'It was all for the ones who were committing the crimes.'
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who → commit → crimes
Hennepin County Attorney Andrew Markquart argued that, while Taylor should be prosecuted for the 'tragic loss of life,' he was unfairly punished for his secondary role in the boy's death
Kevin Funchie, Gomez's father, said the appeal for Taylor's early release is 'sickening'
He added that the appeal process has been difficult for him, bringing up the past trauma from when he first lost his son.
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he → argue → son
'It was just me and him,' Funchie told the outlet.
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Funchie → tell → outlet
'It’s really depressing just going through the thing all over again.
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It → ’ → thing
I just thought that was so cold blooded how they did that.
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they → think → that
Got him riding a bike.
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him → get → bike
You kill somebody like that, especially a child, you would think a sentence would be much stricter, harsher.'
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sentence → kill → that
However, Moriarty's office said that, in making the decision to file a petition, they 'take victim input' and the 'impact any adjustment would have on victims and their families extremely seriously.
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adjustment → say → victims
'
'[We] have established a process to ensure our communication with them begins before it is statutorily required,' she told the Tribune.
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she → establish → them
Markquart argued that, while Taylor should be prosecuted for the 'tragic loss of life,' he was unfairly punished considering his secondary role in the boy's death, the outlet reported.
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outlet → argue → death
'At the time this case was prosecuted, the prevailing practice and expectation was that HCAO prosecutors were generally expected to charge the most serious offense that they believed they could prove beyond a reasonable doubt,' Markquart said, court filings seen by the Tribune showed.
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filings → prosecute → Tribune
'HCAO practice has since changed such that prosecutors are afforded more flexibility in charging decision and are encouraged to charge cases with a focus on what tools are best suited for addressing the problem that needs to be solved.
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that → change → problem
Moriarty's office said that, in making the decision to file a petition, they 'take victim input' and the 'impact any adjustment would have on victims and their families extremely seriously'
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adjustment → say → victims
The attorney's office claimed that there hadn't been enough evidence to determine that Taylor made a premeditated decision, which contributed to his first-degree murder sentencing.
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which → claim → sentencing
Markquart also argued that Taylor's role in the crime was undeniable, but Catchings and Copeland were likely to act violently in a similar manner whether Taylor had been involved or not.
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Taylor → argue → manner
The attorney said that Taylor's role is 'worthy of both moral and legal condemnation,' but 'the question is whether that should translate into a conviction for first degree murder,' the Tribune reported.
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Tribune → say → murder
He also argued that 'most' of the jailhouse informants used as witnesses in his trial 'have incentives to incriminate Mr Taylor, and they contradicted each other on numerous factual points.
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they → argue → points
'
'The question of how big of a trial penalty is too big presents a devilishly tricky line-drawing problem,' Markquart wrote.
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Markquart → present → problem
'But if such a line exists, it seems that Mr. Taylor’s case must lie on the far side of that line.
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case → exist → line
'
Since his sentencing, Taylor has earned his GED and taken courses on personal finance, public speaking, world religions and drawing, CBS News reported.
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News → earn → finance
Moriarty's office argued that, despite the fact his prison record has not been clean, 'nothing in that record suggests he would present a serious risk to the public upon release.'
Moriarty is pictured with her partner Jen Westmoreland, who frequently appears on Moriarty's campaigning pages, and who Moriarty once publicly backed for a school board election
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Moriarty → argue → election
The attorney's office argued, while Taylor's role is 'worthy of both moral and legal condemnation', 'the question is whether that should translate into a conviction for first degree murder'
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that → argue → murder
Funchie told the Tribune: 'I didn't know once you went to trial and lost, you could still be released early.
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you → tell → trial
I just wish they would stick with what they said they were going to do.'
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they → wish → what
Moriarty has become infamous among locals in Minnesota, earning the nickname 'Bloody Mary' following numerous reports of accused criminals walking free or having their sentences reduced.
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sentences → become → reports
…and 15 more, not listed.
The Aporia
