It’s taken 20 months, but results of DNA testing from items at the scene of the December, 2020 shooting death of Calvin “Cue” Taylor on North Kentucky Avenue are now available.
Forty-nine-year-old Larayna Manning of Hopkinsville is charged with murder and robbery and had been set to go to trial August 1 without any DNA evidence available because the tests were still pending.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boling received the results Friday and immediately emailed them to Manning’s attorney, Jason Pfeil, who asked for Judge Andrew Self to exclude that evidence because his expert didn’t have time to prepare.
Judge Self would not exclude the DNA evidence, which he described as probative, but did postpone trial until January 9 to give the defense time for an expert analysis of the information.
Pfeil asked Judge Self to let Manning out of jail on a $10,000 bond in the meantime, but Boling argued the DNA test results make it more important for there to be a substantial bond.
Judge Self declined Pfeil’s motion, leaving her bond at 10-percent of $500,000.
Manning’s son and co-defendant, Anthony Manning, has already entered an Alford plea to charges of facilitation to complicity to commit murder and first-degree facilitation to complicity to commit robbery, for his role in the incident.