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Location: Michigan City, Porter County, Indiana, USA
Status: Sentenced to death on February 28, 1991. Commuted to
life in prison on April, 29, 1993
JAMES, VINCENT #
67
(a.k.a. Victor James)
OFF DEATH ROW
SINCE 04-29-93
DOB: 12-13-1960
DOC#: 911826 Black Male
Porter County Superior Court Judge Thomas W. Webber, Sr.
Venued from LaPorte County
Prosecutor: William F. Herrbach
Defense: Donald W. Pagos,
William Janes
Date of Murder: December 15,
1989
Victim(s): Gayle Taylor W/F/35
(No relationship to James)
Method of Murder: shooting with
handgun
Summary: James entered an
Insurance agency in Michigan City intending to rob. He instructed
Gayle Taylor, an employee, to give him her ring, and she complied.
He moved Taylor to a back room where she was shot once in the head
with a handgun.
James was identified going into the Agency. Upon
his arrest, James attempted to swallow a ring, later identified as
Taylor's engagement ring. James then gave a full confession, but
said that when he took Taylor to the back room, an argument ensued
and the gun went off accidentally. An ISP blood splatter expert
testified that Taylor's head was 1 foot from the floor when shot,
implying that she was shot while on the ground, not accidentally
during a scuffle.
Conviction: Felony-Murder,
Habitual Offender
Sentencing: February 28, 1991 (Death
Sentence, 30 year enhancement of sentence for Murder in the event
Death Sentence is overturned)
Aggravating Circumstances: b (1)
Robbery
Mitigating Circumstances: None
11-29-93 James resentenced to 60 years for Murder
and 30 years for Habitual Offender, consecutive.
