Taylor
Seay ordered Taylor to be released with restrictions. Taylor was released on an unsecured $25,000 bond. He was ordered to refrain from firearms, alcohol and use of narcotics and he received home detention, meaning he is restricted to his residence. A jury trial is scheduled for 9 a.m. June 7 in U.S. District Court.
Taylor was charged April 14 with two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees. A federal grand jury indicted him and an arrest warrant was issued. Taylor was arrested April 19.
The U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma appealed the U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly West ruling allowing Taylor’s release from custody during an April 22 detention hearing.
The government appealed the ruling based on allegations Taylor was a serious flight risk and that he posed a danger to the community. The motion to revoke bond states the crime committed by Taylor “was a crime of violence and there was a serious risk Taylor would attempt to obstruct justice.”
At a hearing held April 23, a pretrial service report revealed that Taylor was pardoned of a conviction in the 1980s for assault with a deadly weapon. Taylor received a seven year suspended sentence and a pardon from the governor in 1995. It was revealed that Taylor was found guilty of a stabbing. It was also revealed that Taylor’s sister had filed an application for a protective order against him in 2006. Taylor’s sister accused Taylor of choking her, hitting her in the head, throwing her on the bed, hitting her in the face and holding her captive in her dad’s house.
During the April 23 appeal hearing the government presented one witness, Agent Damon Musick, with the Department of Agriculture, and Taylor presented six—Sequoyah County Sheriff Ron Lockhart, State Rep., Glen “Bud” Smithson; Shaloa Edwards, Sallisaw Police Chief; Margaret Kenyon, a retired school teacher; Daryl Hume, a wrestling coach; and Mike Sheets, a doctor.
All six witnesses stated Taylor was from a good family, he was a good person and that Taylor would appear for court. Smithson and Lockhart also testified that they have known Taylor for almost all of their lives and that he was a friend and a contributor to both of their campaigns.
Musick, the states witness testified that on April 5 Gary Taylor, an employee with the Sequoyah County Conservation District, and Audra Fenton, an employee with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, had gone to conduct a court-ordered survey on Mike Taylor’s property. The survey was to be conducted on an area of land that contained a flood control dam.
Musick testified there was litigation between Mike Taylor and the Sequoyah County Conservation District regarding an easement and a possible condemnation for purposes of attaining an easement in order for the Department of Agriculture to replace the dam. He said the dam was reaching the end of its 50-year life. Gary Taylor was there to survey the actual area that may be subject to the litigation.
According to Musick’s testimony when Gary Taylor and Fenton arrived, the water was above normal level. The water would have to be drained to get an accurate survey and when Gary Taylor told Mike Taylor the water need to be drained, Taylor became angry and verbally abusive, Musick said. Musick said Mike Taylor told Gary Taylor and Fenton to leave and that he was going to physically assault Gary Taylor and throw him across the highway.
“Gary Taylor refused to leave citing the court order. Gary Taylor grew tired of Mike Taylor getting in his face so the two men began to argue and things became more heated. Mike Taylor then went to his truck got a shotgun and came back and pointed it at Gary Taylor and Fenton while walking toward them. He hit Gary Taylor in the forehead with the shotgun and Fenton was struck in the eye with the butt of the gun,” Musick testified.
Lockhart arrived and saw Mike Taylor holding the gun and Gary Taylor bleeding from a gash in his head. Lockhart asked Mike Taylor for the shotgun and he refused to give it to him. Lockhart had to take it from him.”
Lockhart testified that when he arrived Mike Taylor put the gun down by the fence and Lockhart picked it up. According to the state, Lockhart’s report states that he “had to take it” from Mike Taylor. Lockhart also testified that he knew about Mike Taylor’s prior history and that charges may be filed in this incident but he gave the firearm back to Mike Taylor even that it was evidence in the assault and also allowed Mike Taylor to leave the scene.
According to court documents when Lockhart arrived to the scene he asked Fenton and Gary Taylor what happened and if they wanted Mike Taylor arrested.
Musick testified that when Lockhart asked that question, Mike Taylor stated “he had been arrested before, had gone to jail and it was no big deal.
“Both Gary Taylor and Fenton told Lockhart they did not want Mike Taylor arrested at that time because they felt it would just make a bad situation worse and they wanted to finish the survey and do their job. Lockhart told them they could come to the station later and fill out a report to file charges. Lockhart gave Mike Taylor his gun back and Mike Taylor agreed to let them complete the work. Mike Taylor left and no law enforcement stayed with Gary Taylor and Fenton while they completed their duties.
According to Musick’s testimony, after Gary Taylor and Fenton completed the survey, both went to the hospital for their injuries. Gary Taylor had seven staples and Fenton had a severely swollen black eye. Both victims left the hospital after treatment and went to file reports on the incident and seek charges against Mike Taylor.
Edward Snow, assistant U.S. attorney, said if Mike Taylor is convicted, the punishment could be up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.
