Latest news with #JordanTaylor
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- RNZ News
Dunedin man Jordan Taylor appeals life sentence for killing mother with dumbbell
By Catherine Hutton, Open Justice reporter of Dunedin teenager Jordan Taylor bludgeoned his mother to death with a dumbbell in January, 2023. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton Warning: This article contains references to mental health issues and suicidal thoughts. Lawyers acting for a teen who bashed his mother's head in with a 10kg dumbbell say he shouldn't have received a sentence of life imprisonment. Instead, Jordan Taylor's lawyers on Wednesday told the Court of Appeal in Wellington his sentence should be replaced with a finite sentence of between 13 and 15 years' jail. Taylor was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2023, with a minimum period of 10 years, for killing his mother Anita in their Dunedin home. They had spent the evening celebrating his 18th birthday with a friend. But, after the friend left, the tone between the mother and son changed. Anita reportedly berated her son for several minutes and told him she wanted to die - something his lawyer said at the time of sentencing that made him snap. Once she had gone to bed, Taylor turned out the hallway lights, went into her room and bludgeoned her to death. He told one clinician he had never harboured violent thoughts towards his mother before, but after the first blow, he decided to "finish her off" with two more. He told another expert it was actually four further blows, and it was to put her out of her misery. The teenager then put a tea towel on the stove, turned it on, packed a bag and left the house. However, he ended up calling police soon afterwards, admitting what he had done. Lawyer Kerry Cook said Taylor saw his mother's comments as the ultimate rejection. Photo: Mark Mitchell / NZME On Wednesday, lawyer Kerry Cook, assisted by his trial counsel Sarah Saunderson-Warner, told three Court of Appeal judges Taylor saw his mother's comment about wanting to die as the ultimate rejection, that she didn't consider him worth living for. "It was time to end the source of his problems," Cook said, referring to the now 20-year-old's actions in killing his mother. Cook said Anita's comment and what followed needed to be considered against a backdrop of Taylor's incredibly isolated, abusive and dysfunctional life. He told the court context was crucial in this case - at sentencing, Justice Melanie Harland had erred by failing to take into account the particular circumstances of Taylor's upbringing and age. Cook said the defendant was isolated by his mother and felt trapped. He thought standing up to his mother's abuses and taunts would only make things worse but he couldn't leave because he worried about how she would cope. He referred to his client's age and suggested his immaturity, lack of self-control and inability to consider the impact of his actions had also impacted Taylor's actions that night. He also submitted the level of brutality that night, which didn't involve prolonged suffering or deliberate cruelty, failed to reach the highest level that warranted a sentence of life imprisonment. Finally, he said the judge had incorrectly assessed Taylor's ongoing risk to the community, suggesting the need for public protection didn't apply as strongly in this case as in other cases. He told the court an expert had suggested, somewhat perversely, that Taylor's risk of reoffending had lowered because his mother, who was the source of his anger, was now dead and he was no longer as isolated as he had been while living with her. Cook said the judge was wrong to impose a life sentence and instead a finite sentence of between 13 and 15 years was appropriate. Crown counsel Mark Lillico told the court Taylor's reduced culpability, as a result of his background, was reflected in the "ground-floor" minimum period of imprisonment of 10 years. Lillico said that although aspects of this case were unusual, murders often occurred in a domestic situation, after an argument. There were feelings of anger, and often those involved were disinhibited by the effects of drugs or alcohol, he said. Lillico told the court the sentence of life imprisonment wasn't manifestly unjust. Justices Pheroze Jagose, Jillian Mallon and Christine Grice have reserved their decision. If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111. -This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scrappers announce new partnership with 717 Credit Union
NILES, Ohio (WKBN) — The Mahoning Valley Scrappers announced a new partnership with 717 Credit Union Tuesday, becoming the official credit union and banking partner of the local baseball club. 717 will offer giveaways and special saving opportunities for fans, like a loan discount to anyone who brings in a ticket stub from a Scrappers win. The partnership also includes a Mahoning Valley Scrappers Credit card. With every swipe, the credit union will donate 7.17 cents to the Scrappers for special programming 'We're very fortunate here in this market to have tremendous support, and with a lot of the programs that 717 is doing with this partnership, is going to benefit the community as a whole — not just from attending Scrappers games — but the financial literacy programs that are a part of this partnership,' said Mahoning Valley Scrappers Executive Vice President Jordan Taylor. 717 is also bringing back the Dollar Dog Club, where kids will get free tickets to Scrappers games, and every time the Scrappers hit a grand slam, kids get free ice cream. The credit union is also hosting its second annual Financial Wellness Night at the Ballpark on July 17. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Yahoo
Andrews man killed in single-vehicle crash
ANDREWS COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating a crash that left a young man dead earlier this week. According to a DPS crash report, around 7:16 a.m. on February 6. Troopers were called to SE County Road 1000 to investigate a single-vehicle crash. At the scene, investigators learned that 25-year-old Jordan Taylor, of Andrews, was traveling westbound on SE CR 1000 in a Dodge Ram truck when he lost control of the vehicle. Troopers said the Dodge went through a fence and ended up in a field on the north side of SE CR 1000. Taylor was taken to an Odessa hospital for treatment; on February 10, he died from injuries sustained in the crash. The investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
