State seeks death for man accused of first-degree murder

If a jury finds Patrick Taylor guilty of first-degree murder, he could face the death penalty.

On Tuesday, Cook County prosecutors announced their intent to seek the death penalty for the 40-year-old Taylor, who police say killed 30-year-old Marquis Lovings in Lovings' Rolling Meadows condominium on Aug. 19, 2006.

The decision surprised Taylor's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Jim Mullenix. The fact that prosecutors hadn't made a final decision on the case led defense attorneys to believe that they would not seek the death penalty, Mullenix said.

By law, prosecutors have up to 120 days following arraignment to file a notice of intent to seek the death penalty "unless for good cause, the court directs otherwise." Police arrested Taylor, of the 7500 block of Vernon in Chicago, and charged him with Lovings' murder in August 2007. He is being held in Cook County Jail on a $2 million bond.

Mullenix argues that after nearly 20 months, the death penalty should no longer be an option.

"We think it's untimely and unfair," he said, adding that he will file written motions challenging the state's decision by the time Taylor next appears in court on June 3.

Prosecutors could not be reached for comment.

The defense and prosecution will make their arguments before Cook County Judge John Scotillo, who has treated Taylor's as a death-penalty case since it was assigned his Rolling Meadows courtroom nearly two years ago. Mullenix said that as he understands it, the decision now rests with Scotillo.

Gerolyn Lovings, mother of Marquis, knows how she would rule.

"I don't want anybody else's family to go through what I've gone through," said Lovings, who called Taylor "pure evil."

"He had no remorse," she said. "He was shot a total of 27 times and he's still walking the earth. If they don't seek the death penalty, he'll be in a position to do it again."

Taylor's attorneys face other challenges in mounting his death penalty defense. The public defender's Capital Litigation Trust Fund - which pays for investigations, testing, depositions, psychological exams and other expenses - is bankrupt. And it may take months for the General Assembly to replenish it, which could mean additional delays in Taylor's trial.