Motions were filed in Christian Circuit Court Wednesday to dismiss the indictments against Larayna and Anthony Manning, who are charged in connection to the October 2020 shooting death of Calvin “Cue” Taylor, based on ‘prosecutorial vindictiveness’.
Defense attorney Jason Pfiel represents Larayna Manning filed that motion to dismiss or to quash the notice of intent to proceed as a capital case and alleges that Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boling recently filed an intent to pursue the death penalty in this case only to strike back at his client after she exercised her right to a fair and speedy trial.
He also accuses Boling of pushing his clients for information on what other suspects could have been involved in the murder, saying that where Boling had previously said he would be agreeable to having a mediation, he later sent an email saying he would not until they offered more information. Pfiel says that if Boling had truly intended to pursue the death penalty in this case, he could have expressed that at any time in the proceedings, not days after a trial was set.
Boling argued that Larayna Manning is the one charged with murder, and he only knows of two other possible suspects based on her own assertions.
Judge Andrew Self says he finds the allegations concerning and he is taking them very seriously, so he wants to gather more information on possible solutions should he rule in favor of the defense.
An evidentiary hearing was set for August 24 at 9 a.m., with the judge saying he will hear arguments from both sides that time. Trial is currently set to take place for the Mannings on October 4—Larayna Manning is charged with murder and first-degree robbery, while Anthony Manning is charged with complicity to murder and complicity to robbery.