Taylor v. State

The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant’s convictions of murder and conspiracy to commit murder but revised his sentence from life without parole (LWOP) to an aggregate eighty-year term.Defendant was seventeen years old when he committed murder. At sentencing, the jury was specifically directed to consider Defendant’s age as a mitigating factor. The jury recommended a LWOP sentence. The Supreme Court held (1) the State’s references to Defendant as “Looney the Shooter” did not lead to fundamental error; (2) the State’s amendment to Defendant’s conspiracy charge was not untimely; (3) there was sufficient evidence to support Defendant’s conspiracy to commit murder conviction; and (4) Defendant’s character and the nature of his offense did not warrant making him “Indiana’s fifth juvenile sentenced to a guaranteed death in prison.” View "Taylor v. State" on Justia Law