A first-degree murder charge against a Tucson man accused in a fatal stabbing during a bar fight in April has been dismissed and prosecutors hope to obtain an indictment against two alternate suspects.
Deputy Pima County Attorney Jesse Delaney told Judge Terry Chandler of Pima County Superior Court Thursday she has “serious doubts” about the case against Nicholas R. Taylor in light of recent interviews conducted with witnesses who were present when Fernando Larra, 22, was stabbed to death at Maloney's Tavern, 213 N. Fourth Avenue.
A bouncer who initially picked Taylor out of a photo lineup “didn’t hold strong” with his identification during a recent interview and the man who claims Taylor confessed to him is a suspect, Delaney said.
The evidence now indicates Taylor was at the bar, but was not involved in the altercation, Delaney said.
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Delaney’s decision to take the case to another grand jury was made on the heels of a defense motion asking Chandler to force Delaney to do so.
The man who identified Taylor as the stabber did so only after several hours of interrogation, according to court documents filed by defense attorney Michael Piccarreta. During the interrogation, the man was told he was a suspect and if he didn’t do it, Taylor or a third man must have done it.
“We can’t have the same conversation over and over again . . . it’s 12 years of your life or it’s Nick,” a detective told the man, Piccarreta said.
The suspect, who is an ex-convict with a long criminal record, was also shown a picture of his son.
“Draw your inspiration from something because I hate to keep bringing your kid into this, but it’s like the most important thing you have going on in your life,” Piccarreta quoted a detective as saying.
The man eventually told detectives Taylor told him he’d stabbed Lara, but he didn’t see him do it, Piccarreta said.
Piccarreta and Delaney agree the description of the stabber closely matches the description of the man who implicated Taylor.
Delaney intends to seek a new indictment within two weeks.
If Taylor is not re-indicted, his $100,000 bond will likely be exonerated at a Dec. 9 hearing.
When Taylor was arrested, Tucson Police said Lara was stabbed several times when he confronted two men for making inappropriate comments about his girlfriend and other women in their party.
Contact reporter Kim Smith at 573-4241 or kimsmith@azstarnet.com
