3 siblings acquitted of trying to kill Aurora police officer
Three siblings have been acquitted of trying to murder an Aurora police officer.
They were, however, convicted of aggravated battery and other charges.
A Kane County jury on Jan. 19 found Jennifer Taylor, 26, and Sheba Taylor, 29, guilty of aggravated battery of a police officer. Both live in the 7000 block of South Paulina Street in Chicago.
In another courtroom that day, Judge Alice Tracy found their brother, Paul Sherrod-Taylor, 32, guilty of aggravated battery of a police officer. Sherrod-Taylor lives on the 600 block of Elmwood Drive, Aurora.
According to prosecutors, on June 21, 2021, an officer stopped a car after seeing it disobey a stop sign. Sherrod-Taylor was driving; the sisters were passengers.
The car pulled into a private driveway, and the officer approached the driver. Sheba Taylor got out and refused the officer’s order to get back in the car, prosecutors said.
As the officer told Sheba Taylor was being arrested on a charge of obstruction of justice, Sherrod-Taylor got out, told the officer to leave his sister alone and refused to get back in the car. As the officer was handcuffing Sherrod-Taylor, Sherrod-Taylor shoved him and ran off, according to prosecutors.
The officer chased him, and Sherrod-Taylor put up his fists and yelled at the officer to “keep running, boy.” The officer decided to wait for additional officers and walked back to his squad car.
The sisters then attacked him, according to prosecutors. As he tried to gain control of Sheba Taylor, both sisters hit him repeatedly.
When other officers arrived, Sheba Taylor was sitting on the officer’s chest and neck while Jennifer Taylor held him down, according to prosecutors. At the time, police said they kicked and hit the officer in the head, and Sheba Taylor choked him.
Sherrod-Taylor, 32, was also found guilty of threatening a public official, aggravated assault of a police officer, and misdemeanor resisting a peace officer.
Sheba Taylor was also found guilty of aggravated battery on a public way ‒ causing great bodily harm and resisting a peace officer.
Jennifer Taylor was also found guilty of aggravated battery on a public way and aggravated assault of a police officer.
All remain free on bond while awaiting sentencing. They could be sentenced to probation or up to seven years in prison.
“This matter started out as a simple traffic violation and it ended in the three people being charged with serious felonies. These defendants are now all convicted felons because they would not comply with the lawful orders of (the police officer),” Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser said in a news release. “They engaged in dangerous behavior that risked the life of an officer who was just doing his job. Hopefully, this will teach the defendants to comply with the law or face the consequences of the legal system.”