An evidentiary hearing is set for later this month for a Hopkinsville mother and son charged in connection to a murder on North Kentucky Avenue last year.
Larayna Manning is charged with first-degree murder and her son, Anthony, is charged with complicity to murder for the death of 70-year old Calvin Taylor, who was found inside his home on October 12, 2020.
During a hearing in Christian County Circuit Court Wednesday, public defenders Jason Pfeil of Hopkinsville and Shannon Powers of Murray, along with Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boling appeared before Judge Andrew Self. Pfeil and Powers filed motions Wednesday to dismiss the indictments against the mother and son based on what Pfeil called ‘prosecutorial vindictiveness’. Pfeil argued that Boling had filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty after Pfeil had filed a motion for a fair and speedy trial and after the trial date had already been scheduled.
He went on to say Boling is using the death penalty as a way to get the Mannings to name co-conspirators.
click to download audioBoling argued the Commonwealth is trying to determine if the other two people named by the Mannings even exist with Judge Self saying the issue is about the timing of the notice of intent to seek the death penalty.
click to download audioJudge Self then set an evidentiary hearing for 9:00 the morning of August 24th.
