Jury reaches verdict in DUI manslaughter trial that killed Charlotte County deputy

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — The jury reached a verdict at 1 p.m. on Friday in the DUI manslaughter trial convicting 31-year-old Cassandra Smith guilty on all counts following the death of Charlotte County Deputy Christopher Taylor.

Jury Reaches Verdict

388 days. That is how many days have passed since Charlotte County Deputy Christopher Taylor was killed on the side of I-75.

After an emotional trial, his family is finally receiving the closure they’ve long awaited.

“We made it. It was something that we needed to get to and go through to get to the end,” Alyssa St. Lurent, best friend of Deputy Taylor, said.

On Dec. 15, the trial resumed one last time in the Charlotte County Courthouse at 9 a.m.

Just four hours later, the jury reached a verdict.

It convicted Cassandra Smith on all four of the following charges:

  • DUI manslaughter

  • Two counts of DUI damage to property or another person

  • Vehicular homicide

“I forgive her, but yet, she got what she deserved. She broke the law, and she got paid for it,” the grandfather of Deputy Taylor, Richard Taylor Sr., said.

Smith now faces more than 30 years in prison, finally bringing justice for Deputy Taylor and his family.

“Well, he is up there in heaven, and he is looking down,” Taylor Sr. said. “He is probably saying, ‘Thumbs up, buddies. You did a good job and thank you.”

Closing Statements

State

“There is one person in control of the choices being made that night — That is the defendant Miss Cassandra Smith,” prosecutor Mara Marzano said.

As she played the dashcam footage of the crash again, Deputy Taylor’s mother had to leave the room. His grandmother looked down to avoid watching it.

“Here we can see the driver of the jeep exit the vehicle…This is the person who caused this all to happen. This is the defendant, Cassandra Smith,” Marzano said.

Several off-duty deputies were in attendance today in the audience.

To begin closing statements, Marzano reminded the jury about three key elements of the DUI Manslaughter charge Smith faces.

Element #1: Smith drove a vehicle

As the screen showed stills from the body and dashcam footage, Marzano said to the jury, “You have your own eyes, and there it is. Cassandra Diane Smith getting out of the jeep that just killed Christopher Taylor. There is no doubt.”

Element #2: While driving the vehicle, Smith had a BAC over .08

“Every single bystander, 911 operator, every law enforcement officer, every video shows the behavior of Cassandra Smith that night,” Marzano emphasized. “Every one of those people said her behavior was odd. They felt she was under the influence of something.”

Even without deputies ever mentioning DUI or alcohol on the scene, Marzano reminded the jury that Smith said to them, “I’m not going to blow anyway.”

Element #3: As a result of operating a vehicle, Cassandra Diane Smith caused or contributed to the death of Christopher Taylor

The video showed the entire incident from the night of Nov. 22, 2022.

The prosecutor explained that Deputy Taylor and Camarillo, whom Deputy Taylor pulled over before the crash, knew something was coming. After they heard the screeching of the tires, Deputy Taylor looked up, and Smith hit him.

“She didn’t contribute to this death. She caused it one hundred percent,” Marzano said.

Next, the jury heard the elements of Smith’s Vehicular Homicide charge.

Element #1: Christopher Taylor is dead

According to the FHP lead investigator, driver error caused this crash.

“She did not put her foot on the brake…and this, ladies and gentlemen, is the end result of that night,” Marzano said.

Element #2: Smith operating a vehicle caused death

Element #3: Smith operated the vehicle in a reckless manner, likely to cause the death of a person

Defense

Attorney Elizabeth Heffington reassured the courtroom that the night of Nov. 22, 2022, was a tragedy.

However, she said, “Those emotional feelings – you have to put them aside.”

Heffington went on to tell the jury that Smith was not showing any signs of impairment.

“Because they don’t like how she handled and processed the trauma, they say she’s impaired,” Heffington said.

In addition, she emphasized that there were no indications of if or when she drank the 4 Loko purchased at the RaceTrac.

“To believe the State’s case, to say that she had a BAC of .258…she would almost have to be comatose at the time of the crash,” Heffington said.

She then alleged the mishandling and authenticity of the blood tests.

In reference to Smith’s behavior that night, Heffington said, “Trauma makes people react in a weird way. You may not like it, but it doesn’t mean they’re impaired.”

She said that sometimes accidents are just accidents, and sometimes things don’t make sense.

“Just because Christopher Taylor lost his life at a young age doesn’t mean Smith should be convicted for something she didn’t do,” Heffington said.

In the final words of the Defense’s closing statement, Heffington asks the jury for one verdict, based on lack of evidence and conflict of evidence — Not Guilty.

State Rebuttal

Prosecutor Martin Stark took the stand to convince the jury one last time of Smith’s impairment.

“She sees a police officer and continues driving at 99 mph. That’s impairment, ladies and gentlemen. That is not sound thinking,” he said.

Stark said no one needs to prove if she drank, when she drank, or what she drank; what matters is that her BAC was three times over the legal limit.

He concludes by telling the jury to take the emotion out of it and listen to the science that says Smith is guilty of her charges.

CONTINUING COVERAGE: State rests case after testimony in Charlotte County DUI manslaughter trial

Count on NBC2 to continue providing the latest updates in this case.

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