Is this Evidence Admissible?

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 26, 2018
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

Less than two weeks before a murder trial was scheduled to begin, counsel debated the admissibility of evidence in a 2016 case.

Nathaniel Taylor, 25, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for the shooting death of Nuru Frenche on the 4900 block of Just Street, NE in 2016. According to court documents, Taylor and Anthony Blackmone, who was Taylor’s previous co-defendant, allegedly planned to rob Frenche, 23, but the incident escalated and Frenche was fatally shot.

Taylor is also charged with conspiracy, attempt to commit a robbery while armed, felony murder while armed, assault with the intent to kill and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Per the terms of a plea agreement, Blackmone, 23, pled guilty and was sentenced to six years for voluntary manslaughter and attempted robbery on April 20.

According to the prosecution, they plan to call Blackmone as a witness. Even though Blackmone is being held in a facility in New Hampshire, the prosecution said they don’t anticipate any problems with his transfer.

On July 26, the prosecution requested to enter statements from Blackmone into evidence.

They asked DC Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna to defer making a ruling on the matter until Blackmone’s availability for the trial was known.

Taylor’s attorney, Antoini Jones, argued against the request and said that portions of the statements had “nothing to do with his client” and were “heresy.”

Judge McKenna said that in January, the prosecution had given enough evidence of a conspiracy between Blackmone and Taylor to deem Blackmone’s statements relevant. According to McKenna, portions of the statements were helpful in understanding who, between the co-defendants, controlled the situation. The statements also let the judge understand how the defendants planned the robbery.

Judge McKenna gave the defense time to file an opposition and said she would make a ruling on the statements’ admissibility after jury selection.

Taylor’s trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 6.