Taylor v. State

BOEHM, Justice.

A jury convicted Denon A. Taylor of one count of murder, one count of attempted murder, a Class A felony, and carrying a handgun without a license, a Class A misdemeanor. The State initially sought the death penalty, but withdrew that request before trial. Taylor was sentenced to a combined term of 100 years in prison. In this direct appeal, he raises five issues for our review:

I. Did the trial court commit reversible error in its instruction that “lying in wait” can be proof of specific intent to commit murder?

II. Did the instruction’s “emphasis on lying in wait” impermissibly…