Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 10, 1991 TAG: 9102100114
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RON WORD ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: JACKSONVILLE, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
A judge will impose the sentence on Walter Thomas Taylor Jr. on March 11.
The jury heard five hours of testimony before handing Taylor two life sentences and no chance of parole for at least 25 years.
Taylor, 24, was convicted Friday of two counts of first-degree murder in the Aug. 8, 1987, slayings of acquaintance Paula Smits, 21, and her 3-year-old daughter Amanda.
He blamed the slayings on the trauma of seeing shipmates killed in a missile attack several weeks before.
The defense tried to spare Taylor from the death penalty by linking the murders to a May 1987 Iraqi missile attack that killed 37 of his shipmates aboard the USS Stark. Iraq later said the bombing was an accident.
Taylor's lawyer claimed he was suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome when he took a hammer and beat the two just days after the ship limped home to Mayport.
Taylor showed no emotion as the recommendation was read.
Assistant Public Defender Charles Cofer said he was happy the jury didn't recommend the death penalty and said he would appeal Taylor's conviction.
Smits' husband, Steve Smits, said he was pleased with the jury's recommendation.
"I was very happy with the verdict of guilty," Smits said. "Life - that's fine by me. He won't be doing it to anyone else. He was cold-blooded and cruel."
Assistant State Attorney Jon Phillips said he will recommend that Circuit Judge Michael Weatherby impose the two life terms consecutively, rather than concurrently, so Taylor would have to serve 50 years before he would be eligible for parole.
"He committed a horrible crime, and he's a dangerous man," Phillips said.
Prosecutors contended Taylor killed the woman after raping her, then killed the 3-year-old because she witnessed the crime.
A second child, an infant named Rennea, was unharmed in the attack, but suffered dehydration before the bodies were found two days later.
Taylor was never charged with rape in the case.
"The fact that the defendant was on the Stark was a tragedy," Assistant State Attorney Angela Corey told the jury. "But he was not affected as much as you've been told."
by CNB