Testimony begins in Markeith Loyd murder trial of Lt. Debra Clayton Testimony begins in Markeith Loyd murder trial of Lt. Debra Clayton By Justin Soto Orlando
UPDATED 9:48 AM ET Oct. 26, 2021 PUBLISHED 5:08 AM ET Oct. 26, 2021 ORLANDO, Fla. — Testimony began on Tuesday in the Markeith Loyd trial, where he is facing first-degree murder charges in the death of Orlando Police Lt. Debra Clayton.
What You Need To Know
Markeith Loyd's accused of murdering Lt. Debra Clayton in January 2017 outside an Orlando Walmart
After a two-week process, 12 jurors and six alternates were selected
The jurors have now been sequestered
LIVE UPDATES: ▼ Follow testimony in the Markeith Loyd trial below ▼
Julie Gargotta
@juliegargotta Oct 27, 2021 Replying to @juliegargotta
ME also says the position Lt. Clayton was in while shot cannot be determined. But abrasions on face, knees and elbows are consistent with her falling into pavement. Doctor Stephany testifies cause of death was gunshot wounds, manner of death: homicide. @MyNews13
Julie Gargotta
@juliegargotta Defense’s Terence Lenamon cross-examines the medical examiner about the injuries he observed in his autopsy: “Would you be surprised by the ability of (Lt. Clayton) to continue firing her gun, even after that wound?” “No,” replied the ME in the #MarkeithLoyd trial. @MyNews13 1:44 PM · Oct 27, 2021
Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton could have survived after being shot three times in the thigh, hips and abdomen, but the bullet that went through her neck immediately incapacitated her, a medical examiner told jurors Wednesday.
Prosecutors say Clayton was injured and lying on the asphalt of the Walmart parking lot Jan. 9, 2017, when Markeith Loyd stood over her and fired into her neck.
“The wound to her neck, would that have been the fatal wound?” Assistant State Attorney Rich Buxman asked during Loyd’s trial at the Orange County Courthouse.
“Yes,” said Dr. Joshua Stephany, chief medical examiner for Orange and Osceola counties.
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OPD Detective Pete Cadiz told jurors Loyd was found after he was heard speaking to someone on a phone that had been tapped. Investigators determined Loyd’s phone signal was coming from an abandoned house in Carver Shores, Cadiz said.
When law enforcement officers surrounded the home Jan. 17, 2017, Loyd tossed out two guns and some clothing before coming out, said Chuck Ashworth, who was part of a U.S. Marshals task force assigned to detain Loyd.
“He was crawling with his hands, making sure people could see his hands,” Ashworth told jurors.
The jury did not hear about four OPD officers who punched, kicked and hit Loyd with their rifle muzzles during the arrest, causing him to lose an eye. The offices were later cleared of criminal wrongdoing or misconduct.
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FOX 35's Holly Bristow was in the courtroom and reports that the defense will start presenting their case Friday morning. The judge gave the jury the rest of the day off.
Markeith Loyd’s defense attorney reportedly made a motion for acquittal. The judge promptly denied that.
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October 29, 2021 at 3:51 pm EDT
By WFTV.com News Staff
ORLANDO, Fla. — The jury in Markeith Loyd’s second murder trial are hearing testimony from defense witnesses Friday morning. Prosecutors wrapped up their case Thursday.
3:50 p.m. update The defense calls Markeith Loyd’s brother Barry Jacobs to the stand.
3:30 p.m. update The defense calls Markeith Loyd’s sister, Tonya Loyd, to the stand.
2:40 p.m. update The defense calls Detective Brian Savelli of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to the stand.
1:40 p.m. update The defense has resumed calling witnesses to the stand.
11:40 a.m. update Court is in recess for lunch until 1:30 p.m.
11:20 a.m. update The state calls crime scene investigator Karen Livengood to the stand. She was the lead crime scene investigator on the case.
10:10 a.m. update The defense is calling witnesses to the stand to testify.
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Crime scene investigators failed to properly document evidence at the scene where Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton was fatally shot by Markeith Loyd, including the location of a damaged bullet that may have been fired by the officer, a forensic consultant told jurors Friday.
Prosecutors say Loyd killed Clayton during a shootout Jan. 9, 2017 at the Walmart on Princeton Street after she tried to arrest him for the murder of his pregnant ex-girlfriend. Loyd’s attorneys, who began calling witnesses Friday morning after prosecutors rested their case Thursday, have argued he fired in self-defense after Clayton shot first.
Orlando police Detective Shane Overfield previously testified he found a bullet that had been missed by crime scene technicians in the Walmart parking lot. When he asked the lead investigator for someone to come and document it, she said they were busy, he said.
Anna Cox, a forensic expert testifying on behalf of Loyd’s defense, told jurors that was “not appropriate” during the trial at the Orange County Courthouse.
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Cox also documented a possible strike mark on a window frame at the Walmart that she said was missed by investigators. The expert said the strike mark was in the “line of sight” for Clayton, though she could not definitively say if Clayton shot the bullet or who may have fired first.
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Defense takes over in murder trial for Markeith Loyd Loyd trial: Defense now focusing on scene at the Walmart where Lt. Clayton was gunned down
Updated: 3:57 PM EDT Oct 29, 2021
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Loyd's sister also spoke during the trial, telling the jurors in 2014 he told her to get a life insurance on him because he was convinced police were going to kill him.
"He was having, like a psychotic episode, whereby he was like foaming at the mouth, his eyes were glassy," she said.
Previous Story: The jury in Markeith Loyd’s second murder trial heard testimony from defense witnesses Friday morning. Prosecutors wrapped up their case Thursday.
11:40 a.m. update: Defense rests its questioning of Markeith Loyd. Prosecutors are now cross examining Loyd.
11:25 a.m. update: Judge states that another witness will be called to the stand on Saturday.
10:50 a.m. update: Judge declares recess.
10:30 update: Loyd calls the shootout with Lt. Clayton “a gun battle.”
10:25 a.m. update: Defense attorney asks Loyd to draw out where he ran to during shootout with Lt. Debra Clayton after leaving the Walmart. Loyd testifies that he was running away from officer.
10:15 a.m. update: Loyd testifies that he went to the Walmart on Princeton to use the bathroom and get some food.
10:10 a.m. update: Loyd testifies about living in the woods with a bum and being on the run.
9:50 a.m. update: Loyd tells jurors is account of what happened killing of pregnant ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon. Loyd claims the press lied in its reporting of the story.
9:20 a.m. update: Markeith Loyd discusses how he sold drugs when he was growing up.
9:08 a.m. update: Loyd talks about racism and said he is not afraid of police.
3:47 p.m. update: Dr. Jethro Toomer was dismissed from the court at around 3:44 p.m. and the jury was also dismissed for the day. The Judge said the trial is on schedule and set to resume on Monday at 9:30 a.m.
3:40 p.m. update: The defense started its redirect of Dr. Jethro Toomer at around 3:39 p.m.
3:15 p.m. update: Prosecutors continued to question Dr. Jethro Toomer’s process for diagnosing the alleged mental illness in Markeith Loyd.
2:52 p.m. update: Prosecutors started their cross-examination of Dr. Jethro Toomer at around 2:50 p.m.
2:46 p.m. update: Dr. Jethro Toomer said after speaking with Markeith Loyd and looking at other facts about the case, he believes Markeith Loyd suffers from several issues including schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis and brain damage.
2:20 p.m. update: Dr. Jethro Toomer spoke with Markeith Loyd before the trial and believe trauma in his past affected his development and created the damage that led to his mental issues.
2:05 p.m. update: Dr. Jethro Toomer shared his knowledge of the study of mental illness and how it can be impacted by culture. He also detailed tests and evaluations he gave Markeith Loyd before the trail.
Dr. Jethro Toomer said he also looked over social media posts made by Markeith Loyd and how things Markeith Loyd has posted in the past may be related to a form of schizophrenia.
1:46 p.m. update: After another brief court recess, the trial resumed at around 1:45 p.m. The defense called clinical psychologist Dr. Jethro Toomer to testify in court.
12:20 p.m. update: Prosecutors grill Loyd about carrying a handgun into Walmart the morning of the shooting of Lt. Clayton. Loyd testifies he concealed his handgun before he entered the Walmart.
Toomer said when he spoke with Loyd about the Clayton shooting, he said, “All of his actions and description of those appears to be fueled by a belief that he was going to be killed, that he was in fear for his life.”
The psychologist said he diagnosed Loyd with several mental disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD and psychosis. He concluded Loyd knew what he was doing but didn’t know it was wrong, saying he was “insane at the time of the shooting of Lt. Clayton.”
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Amanda Castro
@AmandaNews6 2h LOYD TRIAL: Toomer says Loyd described the events of the Walmart shooting. Said Loyd heard a shot & believed he was being fired upon. He returned fire because he believed he was being pursued at that time @news6wkmg
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