Defendant blames shooting at officers on ex-girlfriend

Thursday, July 7, 2005 | 10:44 a.m.

A public defender said a 31-year-old man was not guilty of charges stemming from a high-speed chase that included multiple shootings at police officers by his then-girlfriend, but instead acting in fear of his own life "because hell hath no fury like a woman with a DPMS assault rifle."

In opening arguments on Wednesday, Deputy Public Defender Kevin Speed admitted Kentro Taylor was driving the green 1995 Honda Civic, but said it was 21-year-old April Jones' sole decision to pick up the assault rifle and fire at pursuing police officers.

Speed said there was no evidence to suggest Taylor is guilty of eight counts of attempted murder of a police officer and one count each of conspiracy to commit murder and aiming a gun at an officer.

Speed bolstered his stance by telling the jury Jones pleaded guilty on Tuesday to the same charges Taylor currently faces and admitted she was shooting to kill with the assault rifle as Taylor weaved through traffic in North Las Vegas on Feb. 18.

He said Taylor kept driving because he knew "the person with the gun makes the rules."

Speed said Jones "held all the cards" and "without Kentro's consent, agreement or approval" she grabbed the gun and positioned herself to start shooting at the police officers. Speed said Jones then ordered Taylor to "Go! Keep going! Drive!"

"Kentro Taylor had absolutely nothing to do with April Jones' decision to shoot at those police officers," Speed said. "He was severed, separated when she (Jones) took it upon herself to do what she did."

Speed admitted Taylor had a relationship with Jones, but added that "although they were together in many aspects of life, when she deiced to take up a weapon that separated them forever."

Speed said when Taylor could not possibly evade the police any longer he "surrendered immediately and put his hands up" while Jones sat in the car "still sitting the gun in hand."

The public defender said it was at this point when Jones had a moment of reason and asked Taylor what to do. He said Taylor told her ,"Stop. No. Put it down."

But Chief Deputy District Attorney Frank Coumou told the jury Taylor was anything but the helpless man Speed painted him out to be.

Coumou said that even before Jones started shooting, it was Taylor who sped away from officers who were trying to stop their car.

Comou said that it was "a miracle no one was hit" by bullets during the chase, which ended in traffic at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Bonanza Road.

Coumou said when Taylor and Jones were finally stopped by police Taylor got out of the car and said, "Kill me (expletive). I want to die."

"He would have gone to any extent, even if it meant giving up his life, to avoid arrest," Coumou said.

The prosecutor said police officers ultimately had to shock Taylor twice with a Taser before they could arrest him.

Coumou, however, might have crossed the line regarding how much information he offered the jury during opening arguments when he said Taylor was "a person who was wanted for murder, an arrest warrant was out on him for murder."

During pre-trial motions District Judge Lee Gates ruled prosecutors could not refer to Taylor as a murder suspect or a fugitive.

Taylor was a murder suspect in Louisiana when police from Metro's fugitive detail spotted him in Las Vegas in February, according to police. Taylor was visiting a pregnant ex-girlfriend in Las Vegas.

After testimony had concluded Wednesday evening, Speed made a motion for a mistrial, arguing Coumou's slip went against Gates' ruling and unduly prejudiced the jury against Taylor.

Gates acknowledged Coumou's error, but denied the motion for a mistrial saying, "Maybe I was hasty when I issued my ruling."

"In Nevada the district attorney can always present the full story, even if it's concerning prior bad acts," Gates said. Prosecutors are "allowed to present a full and complete story and (in this case) it's true," Gates said.

Speed would not comment on Gates' decision, but Coumou's statement could later serve as a ripe issue on appeal before the Nevada Supreme Court if the jury convicts Taylor.

Coumou apologized for his comment.

"It came out of my mouth and I couldn't believe I said it, in all my years as a prosecutor I've never done that before," he said.

The prosecution is scheduled to continue its case this morning with Jones expected to testify.

In exchange for Jones's testimony, prosecutors agreed not to oppose concurrent prison sentences for Jones' 11 felonies. At a minimum, Jones could theoretically be sentenced merely to probation, but Gates said Tuesday that was unlikely.

Possible sentences for Jones range from four years in prison to as much as 342 years. If concurrent sentences are imposed, the maximum is 40 years.