GUILTY IN - Amanda Blackburn, 28, pregnant, murdered, Indianapolis, 10 Nov 2015 #4

[Niner]

Today. The court isn't updating like they did yesterday. I won't be here this afternoon to follow. Thanks to @IceIce9 for the Nye bump.

https://mobile.twitter.com/RichNye13

Then when you get back - could you post the court site stuff - if there is any of that today? I hope so!

 

[IceIce9]

Rich Nye
@RichNye13
·
42m

Replying to
@RichNye13
Watson says he and Gordon left the Blackburn house, Taylor stayed behind armed with 38 revolver. Watson and Gordon went to CHASE ATM. Watson says credit card transaction was denied because of wrong zip code.





Rich Nye
@RichNye13
·
38m

Watson says they called Taylor to get correct zip code from Amanda's ID. Watson & Gordon went to another ATM. Watson says he got $400 from the 2nd ATM.

 

[IceIce9]

Rich Nye

@RichNye13
·
34m

Watson says Gordon was on the phone with Taylor on speaker. Taylor was talking loud and told them to come back to the Blackburn house and get him. They picked him up walking outside the house. He was carrying a book bag.


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Rich Nye

@RichNye13


Watson was driving. Says when Taylor got in the car, he was panicking and wanted to be dropped off.

 

[IceIce9]

Rich Nye

@RichNye13
·
23m

Replying to
@RichNye13
Watson says that in the car, Taylor told them he tried to have sex with Amanda Blackburn. When she refused, he shot her in the head. Watson says he was stunned. He just wanted quick cash, would never want anyone to get hurt or even be in homes, would never commit a sexual crime.

 

[IceIce9]

@RichNye13
·
8m

Jalen Watson now under cross examination: He was arrested for parole violation about 10 days after Amanda Blackburn murder on previous burglary conviction. In police interview, Watson said he did not know Larry Taylor, man Watson is now testifying against in this murder trial.



Rich Nye

@RichNye13
·
3m

Defense points out that Watson initially told police he never went to an ATM on November 10, 2015 and was probably asleep at the time. Watson admits that he lied about many things in that first statement to police

 

[IceIce9]

@RichNye13

4m

Defense points out that Jalen Watson initially denied any involvement in the crime spree. Watson confirms again he was involved in all three burglaries, drove the stolen car and got the cash from the ATM

 

[IceIce9]

https://mobile.twitter.com/RichNye13
@RichNye13

2m

Jalen Watson confirms that he only admitted involvement in the crime spree after plea agreement which reduced his potential sentence from over 100 years to no more than 30 years, & required him to testify against Larry Taylor. Watson received 29 year sentence.

 

[FrostedGlass]

Then when you get back - could you post the court site stuff - if there is any of that today? I hope so!

This is all there is for now.

09/21/2022	Bench Trial Session: 09/21/2022 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Hawkins, Grant W
09/21/2022	Automated Paper Notice Issued to Parties Hearing Scheduling Activity ---- 9/20/2022 : LARRY JO TAYLOR
09/21/2022	Automated ENotice Issued to Parties Hearing Scheduling Activity ---- 9/20/2022 : Deana Louise Martin;Emily Snyder;Raymond Vincent Casanova

 

[IceIce9]

Rich Nye
@RichNye13
·
10m

Jalen Watson on re-direct: His life was threatened by Larry Taylor by text to keep his mouth closed or else.

@RichNye13

7m

Watson says when he gave initial statement to police & lied about involvement, he could hear Larry Taylor in another room being questioned by police and had already been threatened by Taylor not to talk or else.

 

[IceIce9]

https://mobile.twitter.com/RichNye13
@RichNye13
·
22m

Davey testified he did not know any of the suspects before the crime. The defense asked Davey no questions and has not implicated Davey in any way. Jalen Watson testified that he did not know the Blackburns before the crime

 

[IceIce9]

Replying to
@RichNye13
and
@WTHRcom
Why a bench trial and not a jury of peers? Was this a request made by the defendant?

@RichNye13

2m

Two mistrials trying to find a jury that was not aware of crimes or Taylor’s other charges. Prosecution says it was agreement of both parties.

 

[IceIce9]

@RichNye13
3m

The 3rd alleged accomplice, Diano Gordon (pictured), is now testifying in the Larry Taylor bench trial for the murder of pregnant mother Amanda Blackburn in her home Nov. 10, 2015. He confirms he, Taylor & Watson left an apartment early that morning planning to commit burglaries

 

[IceIce9]

@RichNye13


Gordon says Taylor said he was going to kill sleeping woman in the 1st apartment they burglarized but Gordon and Watson stopped him from going back to bedroom. They took car keys and stole her car.

 

[IceIce9]

Rich Nye

@RichNye13
Gordon says they were looking for houses where no one was home to burglarize. They broke into the back patio of the house next to the Blackburn house. They stole TVs & put them in the trunk of the stolen car they pulled into garage

 

[IceIce9]

Rich Nye

@RichNye13
·
2m

Replying to
@RichNye13
Gordon says Taylor had seen man leaving house next door so they went there for another burglary. They found door unlocked, found purse and split cash among the three. Gordon said he left the house because someone was home and he waited in the car.


Rich Nye

@RichNye13
·
46s

Gordon says he & Watson went to ATM in stolen car. 1st attempt to get cash with Blackburn credit card failed. They got $400 at another ATM, went back to pick up Taylor at Blackburn neighborhood.

 

[IceIce9]

@RichNye13


Gordon says they picked up Taylor on the street in the neighborhood. In the car, Gordon says Taylor told them "I smoke her". He took that to mean he killed Amanda Blackburn. Gordon didn't believe him at the time.

16m

Later in another conversation, Gordon says Taylor said that Amanda Blackburn tried to attack him and he shot her in the head. Gordon had seen/heard news reports and now believed him.

@RichNye13

14m

Gordon was arrested about a week after the crime and initially lied to police about knowing anything about Amanda Blackburn's murder.

 

[DeDee]

Rich Nye
@RichNye13
Gordon says they were looking for houses where no one was home to burglarize. They broke into the back patio of the house next to the Blackburn house. They stole TVs & put them in the trunk of the stolen car they pulled into garage

At 01:54 in video, footage of LT waiting for his ride outside and across the street from Amanda's home. Footage was released two days after Amanda's murder.

NOV 23, 2015

 

[IceIce9]

Rich Nye
@RichNye13
·
49m

Diano Gordon testifies Jalen Watson is a close friend. Defense points out that Gordon agreed to testify against Taylor only after knowing his buddy Jalen Watson had done the same and got potential sentence reduced through plea agreement.







Rich Nye
@RichNye13
·
46m

Gordon told police in initial interview that it was likely someone else had his phone on the day of the crime and he didn't have anything to do with it.

 

[IceIce9]

Rich Nye

@RichNye13


Gordon confirms he was told by state that he could help save his friend Watson, & himself, if he cooperated with investigation. But if he went down for murder, he would never see his family again.

 

[IceIce9]

Rich Nye

@RichNye13
·
10m

Gordon cooperated with prosecutors knowing murder charges would be dropped & his sentence would range 10-30 years. He says part of the reason he eventually agreed to testify was so the Blackburn family would know the truth.





Rich Nye

@RichNye13
·
9m

On redirect, Gordon says part of the reason he initially lied to police was to protect not just himself, but his close friend, Watson.