Keaton Taylor, 18, of Taylor was sentenced to 35 years in prison Thursday morning after pleading guilty to first-degree murder and aggravated robbery stemming from an April 13, 2016, incident at 9425 Highway 160 that saw the premeditated armed murder of 53-year-old Taylor resident Douglas Harwell. The prison term was handed down by Columbia County Circuit Judge David W. Talley Jr. as part of a negotiated plea agreement with the state.
Taylor was 16 at the time of the homicide and an accessory to the murder. The case was heard only in adult criminal courts.
For the crime of murder in the first degree, Taylor was issued a 25-year prison sentence in the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC), along with a 10-year term for aggravated robbery. Both are Class Y felonies, and can carry 10-40 years or a life imprisonment sentence. Both sentences, however, will be served concurrently — not consecutively — meaning his prison term will end after 25 years. Taylor will be eligible for parole after serving 70 percent, or 17.5 years, of his issued sentence. He has already spent 762 days (2.09 years) in police custody.
On May 8, while appearing in Columbia County Circuit Court, Taylor and his attorney, Robert Jeffrey of the Arkansas Public Defender Commission, stated that the now 18-year-old needed to first confer with his family — which mostly reside in Alabama — before electing to either take his case to a jury trial or strike a deal with the state. The defendant chose the latter — much to the objection of his family’s wishes.
“They’re here your honor — his parents,” said Attorney William McLean on Thursday, Taylor’s second legal rep, “and they’re upset.”
Taylor also stated that he spoken with parents two weeks ago, but had not met with them at all in the days leading up to the guilty plea.
When the final sentence was issued by the judge, one family member stormed out of the courtroom, slamming the door open as he exited the chamber.
Taylor’s admittance of guilt and acceptance of the state’s plea deal was strongly opposed by his parents and family. The teenager was only an accessory to the murder and not the one who actually pulled the trigger of the .380 handgun that caused the victim's death.
Taylor’s co-defendant in the case, De’Kota Despain, on April 19 pleaded guilty to identical charges as Taylor in the case. For his guilty plea, however, Despain was issued a total of 50 years in ADC — 40 for murder and 10 for aggravated robbery — for his crimes. His sentence was also to be served consecutively equating to more mandatory prison-time. He, just as the co-defendant Taylor, was 16 at the time of the murder.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ryan Phillips, during the sentencing, explained to the court that since Taylor was extremely cooperative in the criminal investigation — offering numerous details to police — and had previously stated he would testify against Despain if the case went to a jury trial, the state took all factors into consideration when issuing the plea deal that Taylor ultimately accepted.
Taylor and Despain were both initially charged with capital murder, along with additional charges of aggravated residential burglary and theft of property valued over $25,000, but the charges were either amended down or dropped altogether in both defendants’ plea deals.
During the reading of the state’s proof by the prosecutor Thursday, Phillips stated that Taylor and Despain went to the residence of Harwell on April 13, 2016, and Despain fired two shots into the victim and removed “property” from his home. Taylor was also said to have been active in the planning the murder and theft, and was present during “the execution," before helping move the body after the murder and then "removing property" from the victim's home.
Taylor admitted the proof was correct, except for one detail.
“I didn’t move the body,” he said. “But the rest is true.”
Taylor’s legal reps on Thursday made it abundantly clear to the court that the decision to accept the plea deal was in no way forced upon their client and that he was of clear and sound body and mind leading up to the decision. Taylor, in a definite and concise manner, confirmed the statement to be true.
“That’s correct your honor,” he said.
As the proceeding closed, the judge once again informed Taylor of all his legal options, specifically mentioning the fact that, since he was a minor at the time of the 2016 incident, he had the ability to seek a juvenile trial in Arkansas — a motion Despain had already unsuccessfully attempted. He and his attorneys appealed the matter all the way to the state’s Supreme Court before failing.
“Had he not accepted this [plea deal], I had a motion ready to file today,” said Jeffrey while referring to the juvenile court attempt. “And that was not taken.”
As part of Taylor’s sentence, the judge also ordered a suspended imposition of sentence (SIS) of 30 years. SIS is a form of probationary period typically issued by the court in guilty pleas.
Taylor will now be transferred to the Arkansas Department of Corrections to serve out his prison sentence.