Jurors deciding Taylor’s fate in Parkersburg murder trial
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PARKERSBURG -- The case of Derek Taylor is now in the hands of the jury as they will begin deliberations today.
Both sides rested their case and presented closing arguments Thursday.
Taylor, 40, is charged with the March 2022 murder of 30-year-old Cory Friend of Parkersburg.
At the beginning of the day Thursday, a female juror indicated to court officials she needed to talk to Wood County Circuit Judge Robert Waters and counsel for both sides. Following that meeting, she did not return to the courtroom and court officials did not address it further. The remainder of the case was presented before a six-man, seven-woman jury.
After the state rested its case first thing Thursday morning, the defense called a number of witnesses to present their case, which was that once police had Derek Taylor they excluded all other possibilities and did not consider other evidence as to how Friend could have been injured and concentrated on him.
The defense said they felt a fight might have occurred at Friend's father's house on 39th Street as the two have had trouble in the past. They pointed to a woman who was with Friend earlier the day of the fight who was sanding an aluminum bat at Friend's father's house and indicated she might have hit Friend at some point, Defense Attorney Ryan Umina said in his closing arguments.
"Never jump to conclusions," he reiterated. "Their evidence is based on one theory.
"The actual cause of death is heavily in dispute."
Testimony was presented Thursday that Taylor was trained in boxing and mixed martial arts and had trained and competed locally at different events.
Parkersburg Police Detective J.D. Hart (retired) also testified that he had interviewed multiple witnesses and believed Taylor has had violent tendencies in the past.
Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure said investigators did follow the evidence and eliminated the other possibilities through the course of their investigation.
"They did not jump to any conclusions," he said, adding a number of red herrings were presented that were investigated.
Cory Friend had taken the bike of Taylor's girlfriend and allegedly pulled a knife on her, Lefebure said, adding that action angered Taylor and he was going to confront Friend and handle it when he found out Friend was in his immediate area near the Terrapin Park Apartments.
"(Taylor) knew what he was doing," Lefebure said as Taylor was a trained fighter. Lefebure also said Taylor lied to police about being in an altercation with Friend and only later admitting to the altercation. A witness said Taylor headbutted him and hit him with a bat.
All of the people who were at Friend's father's house testified they did not see Cory hit his head or had anything happen that would have resulted in those injuries. During testimony, different people said they believed Cory might of had a drug overdose and that was what was happening to him.
The actual altercation took around 90 seconds and both Friend and Taylor walked back together to where a mutual friend was before parting ways, Umina said.
If Taylor intended to kill Friend, he would have hit him over and over until it was done, he said. During a recorded statement to police, Taylor said he only headbutted Friend.
"(Taylor) showed an amazing amount of restraint," Umina said.
Friend was taken to WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center on March 21, 2022, and was later transferred to Ruby Memorial in Morgantown where he died on March 26, 2022.
Testimony was given that Taylor did not have any signs of injury as a result of the fight, Lefebure said.
For the jury to consider self-defense there had to be imminent danger where Taylor felt threatened. Different testimony said Taylor was a capable fighter. Lefebure said Taylor was not afraid of confrontation.
The jury will consider possible verdicts for murder in the first-degree, murder in the second-degree, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter or not guilty.
One juror will be named as an alternate and a 12-person jury will consider the verdict.
The trial resumes at 9 a.m. today in Water's court with deliberations expected to begin shortly after.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com