Thursday, May 5, 2005 | 9:08 a.m.
A 21-year-old woman who allegedly shot at police while her fugitive boyfriend led Metro officers on a high-speed chase reluctantly pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of attempted murder on Wednesday.
After a short debate with her attorney, Brian Bloomfield, April Jones pleaded not guilty to 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.
When it came time for Jones to decide whether she wanted to invoke her right to a speedy trial Jones made it clear she wanted to go to trial with her 31-year-old boyfriend, Louisiana murder suspect Kentro Taylor.
Although it seemed Bloomfield calmed Jones' concerns, she said if she didn't have the same trial date as Taylor she wouldn't come to court.
District Judge Lee Gates then intervened and asked Jones if she wanted to invoke her right to a speedy trial or not. When Jones said, "No, I don't," Gates said, "Well, I'm invoking it for you."
Gates set Jones' trial for July 5.
Taylor, who was allegedly driving the car during the chase, previously pleaded not guilty to the same charges Jones is facing and is scheduled for trial before Gates on May 17.
He was in court to request to have his court date postponed, but he too had problems with his attorney. Seconds after Deputy Public Defender Kevin Speed had successfully requested a new trial date, Taylor told Gates he didn't want the new date and wanted his right to a speedy trial recognized.
Gates quickly dismissed the requested continuance and reinstated the May 17 trial date for Taylor.
Police said that during surveillance on Taylor, they saw him and two women drive away from a residence and called nearby officers to stop them. When police tried to pull over Taylor, he sped away, police said.
As they followed, Jones allegedly began shooting at police and their cars from the passenger window with an AR-15 assault rifle, police said. No officers were injured.
The chase ended in traffic at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Bonanza Road, where police arrested Taylor and Jones. The third passenger was not charged with any crimes, police said.
Taylor is the last of five men arrested in connection with the Sept. 9 killing of 26-year-old Muhammad Price in Baton Rouge, La. Price was kidnapped, tied up and beaten until information about drugs or money was gained, according to Baton Rouge police.
Taylor and the three other men then allegedly took Price with them to two other locations where the suspects committed robberies, police said.
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