Cockfighting ring: Jury finds Ocala man guilty on two of three charges; sentence pending

An Ocala jury has found Cameron Tyrone Taylor guilty of two of three counts he faced in connection with a cockfighting ring that was dismantled by drug agents and Marion County Sheriff's Office deputies last year.

As Taylor stood beside his lawyer James W. Smith, the court clerk read the jury's verdict aloud Thursday afternoon. He was found guilty of owning property for use in fighting or baiting animals and attending the fighting or baiting of animals. The Ocala man was found not guilty on the third count: sell, posses, use equipment for animal fight bait.

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Taken to the Marion County Jail

Assistant State Attorney Laura Hope wanted Taylor, who was out of jail on bond, taken back to the Marion County Jail, as he still faces three other charges stemming from the case. Those charges are possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Officials said the firearms were in Taylor's vehicle when he was arrested.

Defense attorney Smith asked Circuit Judge Robert Hodges, who presided over the trial, to allow Taylor to remain out of custody until his sentencing hearing. The judge denied the request and told Taylor that since he has been convicted, he must report to the county jail.

A dejected Taylor removed his tie, coat, watch and jewelry, handing them to bailiffs so they could give the items to his wife, who sat through the trial.

"While we're disappointed with the jury verdict, we respect their opinion and look forward to filing all available post-trial motions," Smith said.

For now, Taylor's sentencing is on hold until the weapons charges are resolved.

Taylor's arrest

Last summer, Taylor was among eight people taken into custody in northwest Marion County after officials recovered more than two dozen dead roosters on the property.

During the two-day trial, which began Wednesday, the court was told that several people ran when law enforcement officials arrived at the location, which is in the 6900 block of Northwest 44th Avenue. Taylor did not run, according to testimony given in court.

A search warrant was obtained for the property and officials said they found cages and multiple items used for cockfighting. The investigation was conducted by the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST.)

In court, jurors were told that agents conducted surveillance on the property for two days. Jurors were shown pictures of the property, dead roosters and a fighting ring.

The prosecutor called an expert, a detective from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, to testify about cockfighting. Hope showed jurors different tools, seized by investigators, that investigators believed were used in the cockfighting event.

Closing arguments

The prosecutor and the defense attorney gave opposing views during closing arguments.

Hope said the rooster fighting occurred on Taylor's 24-acre property. She said the ring, dead roosters, equipment used to make the ring, his truck, a cellphone and cash recovered from the truck, were all found on Taylor's property.

The prosecutor said Taylor's family, including his two sons, were there.

"He was attending that fight," Hope told jurors. "These birds are boxing with knives."

Smith told jurors that no one likes to see animals being abused. But he cautioned them to not let their emotions get in the way of the facts and the law.

He said the case against Taylor was not proven, and pointed to several reasons why. Smith said the state failed to meet its burden - a result, he argued, of poor investigation, lack of evidence and forensics.

Smith said law enforcement failed to ask basic questions, such as who drove the truck, who organized the event, and who owns the trailer that housed the roosters. He said no one can show that his client played any role in the cockfighting episode. He said though the land is owned by Taylor, did anyone see Taylor actually participating in the event?

"They put together a good case against someone, just not him," Smith said. "She said it, but did she prove it," he added, referring to Hope's argument for a guilty plea.

The jury

At the conclusion of closing arguments, jurors went to the back to deliberate at 11:49 a.m. Thursday.

Shortly after 1 p.m., jurors signaled they had two requests: First, they wanted to watch a dash cam video of deputies entering the location on the day of the arrests. Secondly, they requested to see the helicopter video of the scene at the time of the arrest.

Jurors watched the videos carefully for several minutes, then returned to the back to continue their discussion.

Then, at 3:38 p.m., jurors said they had reached a decision. The verdict form was handed to the judge, who handed it to clerk.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala courthouse: Split verdict in NW Marion cockfighting case