Maiden

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Anthony Cloud

Staff Writer

Candy Maiden appeared in court on Wednesday for a motion hearing involving the beating death of William Taylor.

Attorney Samuel Cox (Maiden’s attorney) filed for a motion of discovery involving statements made against Maiden. Circuit Court Judge Robert Costanzo did not rule on the motion, but stated he would issue a ruling in writing.

Cox’s motion was made in an attempt to exclude statements allegedly made by co-defendants in the case. According to the motion document, if the statements are permitted to be introduced at trial it will violate the defendant’s rights guaranteed by the Confrontation Clauses of the Sixth Amendment.

The alleged statements were made to Kentucky State Police Trooper Tyson Lawson and Det. Mitch Williams. Each statement involved Maiden or one of the co-defendants — Brian Hatfield, Jeremiah Evans or Debbie Partin — and included details of what allegedly occurred at the Taylor house on the day of the beating.

Maiden has been one of the more active suspects in the trial. Almost a year ago, Cox attempted to have Maiden released on bail, but was ultimately denied. Approximately three months ago, Maiden’s attorney attempted to have the case dismissed, which was also denied.

Evans, Partin, Maiden and Hatfield were arrested by Kentucky State Police in 2010 and charged with murder, following an investigation by Lawson and Williams, prior to his retirement.

A Bell County Grand Jury indicted the four around the same time.

The victim, William Jacob Taylor, who was 91 at the time of his death, was severely beaten during the robbery at his home on Jan. 15, 2008.

The man initially survived the brutal attack. He walked nearly 100 yards to seek help from his nearest neighbor. He was treated at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he died a week later.

Anthony Cloud is a staff writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. He can be contacted via email at acloud@heartlandpublications.com or by phone at 606-248-1010, ext. 208.