Jonathan Taylor testifies at his own trial

By D.C. Witness Staff - June 26, 2017
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

Murder suspect Jonathan Taylor testified at his own trial, accused of the murder of Dexter Motley.

On the stand, Taylor told of his own version of events in August 2014, when Motley was killed.

Taylor said on the night of Motley’s murder he borrowed a car from someone he was romantically involved with and went to a friends house. There, the friends drank and hung out. Later, a friend asked to borrow the car to get more liquor. When he returned, Taylor said his friend told him he had just killed someone he was fighting with.

A few days later Taylor went over to a different romantic interest’s house and said he told her that one of his friends had just killed someone.

Taylor also admitted that he lied to detectives on several occasions because he didn’t want to involve himself with. He mainly denied knowing many associates of the Oxford Manor and using the car or knowing of the owner of the car.

In the government’s closing statements they emphasized the importance of finding accountability for Motley’s death, and addressed any inconsistencies in witness credibility and statements as human error. Though Taylor may not be the one who killed Motley, he was still involved, and is as guilty as the person who pulled the trigger.

The defense attacked the credibility of most of the government’s witnesses. The defense also argued that there was no evidence to put their client at the scene of the murder, and argued that Taylor’s appearance was not the same as the one described by witnesses.