The trial of Angelo Weems, 37, began Monday in the Washtenaw County Circuit Court, where he faces charges in the 2023 shooting death of Darian Taylor.
Weems is charged with open murder and four firearms offenses in connection with the June 28, 2023, shooting in the 9000 block of MacArthur Boulevard in Superior Township.
Sister Testifies Taylor Was Unarmed
Terena Jones-Taylor, the victim’s sister, testified that she saw Weems and her brother talking shortly before the shooting around 11:15 p.m.
“They were having not too much of a heated conversation, but you could tell they were going back and forth,” she said.
Jones-Taylor told jurors she then saw Weems shoot Taylor. Although she had previously seen her brother with firearms in videos, she said she did not see him carrying a weapon that night.
Multiple other prosecution witnesses testified they did not observe Taylor with a firearm before or after he was shot.
Defense Argues Self-Defense
Defense attorney Wendy Barnwell argued that Weems acted in defense of his sister during a broader dispute that also involved Darian Taylor’s cousin and Weems’ sister.
“My client sits here an innocent man,” Barnwell told the jury, adding that Weems is not proud of what happened but maintains he acted to protect his sister.
Barnwell indicated Weems is expected to testify later in the trial and cautioned jurors against what she described as a “sanitized version” of events presented by prosecutors.
Background of the Case
Testimony indicated the shooting followed a verbal argument involving several family members, which escalated into a physical altercation between two women. Darian Taylor and Weems had stepped aside to speak when the gunshots began.
Video footage shown in court captured people running and screaming moments before shots were fired.
Weems is being held without bond at the Washtenaw County Jail. The trial, presided over by Judge Carol Kuhnke, is scheduled to continue Tuesday.