Phillips Black

Leonard Taylor

Current Proceedings: Federal habeas proceedings pending in 8th Circuit in Taylor v. Steele (No. 19-2763).

Case Number: No. 19-2763 (8th Cir); 4:12-cv-02278-RWS (EDMO)

Judge: Unknown

Defendant’s Demographic Information: Black Male

Current Counsel:

Legal Status: District court granted COA on one issue (whether decision to forego a closing argument at penalty is trial right of defendant; or, if a tactical decision, was it IAC to comply with defendant's request not to make closing arg); 8th Circuit denied application to expand COA on December 5, 2019. Appellant brief due 3/5/2020; Argued 12/15/2020; Order Granting Third Extension of Time to File a Petition for Rehearing entered on 09/08/2021

Significant Legal Issues:

• Speedy trial violation

• Trial court’s exclusion of evidence that the victims were still alive after Mr. Taylor had flown to California and could not have committed the crimes

• Strike of an equivocating juror in violation of Witherspoon

• Trial counsel's failure to object to admission of inaccurate and incomplete phone records

• Improper and prejudicial prosecutorial comments during closing arguments and voir dire

• Whether the decision to forego a closing argument at the penalty stage of a capital murder trial is a tactical decision for counsel or a basic trial right decision for the defendant, and if tactical decision, was counsel ineffective for complying with client's request to not make a closing argument at penalty

Last Judicial Decision Related to Conviction or Sentence: Taylor v. Steele, 6 F.4th 796 (8th Cir. 2021) (affirming denial of habeas relief)

Reported Opinions:

• Taylor v. Steele, 6 F.4th 796 (8th Cir. 2021) (affirming denial of habeas relief)

• Federal habeas denied, Taylor v. Steele, 372 F.Supp.3d 800 (E.D. Mo. 2019)

• Denial of post-conviction relief affirmed by Taylor v. State, 382 S.W.3d 78 (Mo.2012), cert. denied, 133 S. Ct. 2798 (2013)

• Convictions and sentences affirmed on direct appeal by State v. Taylor, 298 S.W.3d 482 (Mo. 2009), cert. denied, 560 U.S. 928 (2010)

Prior Counsel: Pete E. Carter

Conviction County: St. Louis County

Counts: 4

Victim Demographic:

• Black Female

• Black Female

• Black Female

• Black Male

Crime Date: 11/24/2004 (on or about)

Sentencing Date: 04/17/2008

Trial Counsel:

• Robert Wolfrum

• Beverly Beimdek

• Karen Kraft

• Nanci H. Ferrick

Trial Judge: James Hartenbach

Trial Prosecutor:

• John Lasater

• Dean Waldemer