Trial ordered for Turlock father, son accused of hate crime

A judge this week ordered a trial for a father and his son who are accused of attacking a black woman in a hate crime that occurred outside a Turlock bar.

Eddie Taylor, 57, and Eddie Taylor II, 28, are charged with battery causing serious bodily injury and assault likely to produce great bodily injury in connection with the assault on Latisha Mcany. Those charges are accompanied by special allegations indicating the crimes were committed because of the woman’s race.

At trial, the defendants also will face a misdemeanor charge of battery on David Fernandez, who intervened to stop the alleged assault on Mcany.

Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Ricardo Córdova scheduled an arraignment hearing for the Taylors on June 1. The father and son from Turlock remain free on bail as they await trial.

Defense attorney Tai Bogan, who is representing the father, has said in court that the circumstances indicate the defendants should be charged with misdemeanor battery, not felony crimes. Bogan has argued that the incident was essentially a bar fight involving a lot of people.

A preliminary hearing for the Taylors concluded Tuesday with the judge’s ruling. In the hearing, Mcany identified Eddie Taylor and his son Eddie Taylor II as the men who attacked her on Dec. 23, 2013 at Staley’s Club on East Main Street.

She testified that she walked into the bar and heard someone in a group of men say “I don’t know why they let this colored b---- in here.”

Mcany told the judge that she turned to leave the bar, when she heard Eddie Taylor, the father, say “Get out of here, n-----.” Mcany said she stopped before walking out and said that she didn’t care how ignorant he was, she was a beautiful black woman. Then, Mcany left the bar with the bar’s manager following her.

She said in court that Mcany testified that she noticed the father walk out of the bar in her direction moments before she was “blindsided” with a punch to her face. She testified that she regained consciousness, and the father and son were stomping and kicking her.

Mcany crawled away and spotted Taylor’s son standing in front of her. She testified that he was in a fighting stance. She stood up and raised her hands to defend herself as Eddie Taylor II flinched as if he was about to hit her, according to Mcany.

She then took a swing at him but missed. Mcany testified that Eddie Taylor II then punched her face, knocking her to the ground. She then went in and out of consciousness as medics arrived and treated her.

During cross-examination, Mcany was asked why her testimony was more detailed then her initial report to police. She was questioned portions of the assault she left out, such as curling into the fetal position while she was being kicked.

Mcany testified that she gave police as much information as she could at the time considering her injuries. She acknowledged she was intoxicated the night of the assault, recalling having at least two mimosas, a kamikaze and three shots of Fireball over seven hours.

This story was originally published May 11, 2017 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Trial ordered for Turlock father, son accused of hate crime."