State, defense finish evidence in RICO trial

Feb. 25—A Norman police detective who was in charge of an investigation into a Norman gang in 2018 continued his testimony during a racketeering trial Wednesday in front of Cleveland County District Judge Michael Tupper.

The two defendants — Marcus Larod Jackson, 22, of Norman, and Juwan Thomas Square, 23, of Moore — each face counts of racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, assault and battery with a deadly weapon, shooting with intent to kill and discharging a weapon into a dwelling (two counts for Jackson, one for Square) and two counts each of possession of a firearm after former felony conviction. Square faces one count of use of a vehicle in the discharge of a weapon.

The charges are related to the Money Murder Gang that was prevalent in Norman and other cities from June to December 2018.

Norman Police Det. Dakota Cook was tasked with investigating MMG on Nov. 12, 2018, and serves on both the street crimes unit and in the special investigations section.

Cook testified Tuesday that he interviewed multiple individuals related to MMG, including Quinlan Javan Hardiman, 20, Dayven Devon Taylor, 20, and Dijon Fosha Pickett, 22.

On Wednesday, Cook said he went on scene to interview a juvenile suspect nicknamed "Tiny" and Lawrence Lay Jr., 20, after receiving word from that three officers were at Tiny's mother's house in December 2018. A then-17-year-old girlfriend who was inside a vehicle with Lay was released because she was a juvenile.

Cook said Tiny's mother consented to her son being interviewed and was present during his questioning.

Both suspects' phones were seized and taken from the scene because a bag of marijuana was found inside the vehicle Lay arrived in and officers believed criminal activity discussions could be on the phones.

Cook said Lay's phone contained more information because "Tiny" hadn't had his phone for long. He confirmed that search warrants were issued for phones and social media accounts of multiple MMG members. He also gained information from Lay's girlfriend's phone after serving a warrant.

However, Cook said he was unable to find an account for Square by the time the warrant was served. After months of attempting, he was unable to unlock Jackson's phone, which was found on a countertop after a shooting Oct. 19. 2018, in the 1100 block of McGee Drive in Norman.

On searching through Lay and his girlfriend's phone and social media data, he saw a video of Lay weighing a bag of marijuana on a scale and a Facebook message where Lay is asking Jackson if he can "spend a night with his girl."

In another post, Square and Lay are seen in a photo together July 23, 2018, the night that a carjacking occurred. In another photo, a group of individuals is seen that includes Lay and Square, who is wearing a hoodie seen on surveillance footage from the McGee Drive shooting. Another photo shows over $1,000 worth of cash laid out on Lay's table.

Under Lay's search history, Cook said he found searches for "Money Murder Gang in Norman" and another about the Norman police street crimes unit. Based on that, he believed gang members were aware of the police investigation into MMG and began trying to either hide their identities on social media or delete their accounts.

Cook also detailed a series of messages sent from jail tablets from Jackson, Hardiman, other MMG members and associates. In some of them, Jackson tells others not to snitch and that "black and white don't lie," referring to paperwork showing testimony from MMG members.

In messages between Taylor and Jackson while Taylor was in jail, Jackson tells Taylor not to snitch "for no reason," and Taylor tells Jackson he is "the only big homie I got."

On serving a search warrant at Jackson's apartment in early December 2018, Cook said police were unable to find a gun, and they didn't see the presence of drugs or money. However, he found out later that MMG members knew more than police thought they did about the investigation, and sometimes MMG members kept guns at other places.

Jackson reached out to Lay in a social media post after the search warrant was served, requesting to meet. His social media usage also showed use of #MMG.

In social media posts from Jackson to his girlfriend, Cook said Jackson tells her he can make more money on the streets than at his job, and she says she is concerned about him going out because he is "hot," which Cook said means police were looking for him.

In yet another social media conversation, Jackson tells Lay that he is laying low.

Cook pointed to more jail tablet messages sent after Jackson was incarcerated that show Jackson trying to collect money from Hardiman and reach fellow members and associates for help with his case. Another message calls "Tiny" a rat for talking. In another, Jackson tells his girlfriend that his priorities are her, his child, his case and his "little homies."

When asked by State District Attorney Patrick Crowe if MMG was just a group of friends, Cook said all the evidence found during his investigation points to it being a gang and both defendants being active participants.

Cook said when the active MMG members were arrested, police call rates dropped.

During cross examination by Jackson's attorney, Michael J. Amend, Cook said he disagreed with previous testimony that MMG was a clique versus a gang, but agreed that it was still in the development phase.

Amend questioned Cook about his interview with Pickett. Cook agreed he was less than truthful when he interviewed him and doesn't believe Pickett's claims that he didn't carry a gun and that he wasn't an MMG member. However, he said no evidence supports Pickett having a gun during the McGee Drive shooting, at which Pickett was present. According to testimony Tuesday, three guns were fired inside the apartment.

When asked about the victim in that case, Davion Adcox, saying all four suspects had a gun, Cook said it's understandable that mistakes could be made when shots go flying.

Cook said Lay and "Tiny" were known drug dealers and said it was possible Lay could have done it on his own, but that's not what he found when combing through the evidence.

Amend asked Cook if he had ever seen a criminal organization post meetings on social media. Cook replied no.

Square's attorney, Larry Monard, said he doubted social media postings because he has known some friends whose Facebook accounts were hacked.

Monard also questioned Pickett's testimony, saying if he isn't honest in one area, his entire testimony is questionable. Cook said when a suspect isn't truthful, that's when you corroborate stories with evidence.

"Other than hearsay, do you know Square was in MMG?" Monard said. Cook replied no. During a redirect by that state, he elaborated that based on other content from other MMG members' accounts showing Square with them, he believes Square was in the gang.

Cook said crimes occurred in multiple cities and multiple counties, and MMG was involved in three drive-by shootings in one week.

Cook compared his investigation to an onion with layers, saying he focused on the most active members in filing charges.

The trial will continue at 8:30 a.m. Thursday with closing arguments, jury instructions and jury deliberation.

Jamie Berry covers police and court news for The Transcript. Reach her at jberry@normantranscript.com, 366-3532 or @@JamieStitches13.