Taylor Tells Court That Return to County Could Cost His Life

Jail escapee Michael Douglas Taylor, fighting extradition from South Dakota to California, told a judge Thursday he does not want to be sent to Orange County, where he fears for his life in County Jail.

A spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, which oversees the jail, called Taylor’s claims “hogwash” and an attempt to solicit sympathy from South Dakota extradition authorities.

“We want him here; he escaped from (jail) here and we would like to try him here,” said Sheriff’s Lt. Robert Rivas. “His claims that he fears for his life and for his safety while he is inside the jail here is all a bunch of hogwash.

“I think he’s following the same steps used by another jail escapee some time ago as a ploy to use emotion and make an attempt to get sympathy,” Rivas said.

Taylor, 36, appeared in Pennington County Circuit Court in South Dakota on Thursday, where he told Judge Roland Grosshans that he would fight extradition to Orange County, where he faces trial in connection with six jewelry robberies, jail escape and kidnaping. He is being held in maximum security custody in lieu of $1.75-million bail.

“He fears for his safety in California, but he would be willing to waive extradition to Illinois to face charges there,” said Wayne Gilbert, Taylor’s court-appointed attorney.

Taylor has a reputation as an intelligent and self-confident outlaw, according to law enforcement officials, but he will “not be allowed to manipulate” the legal system said Rod Oswald, Pennington County’s chief deputy state’s attorney.

“He goes where we want him to go,” Oswald said. “He doesn’t tell the system where he wants to go.”

In addition to Orange County, other jurisdictions also have expressed interest in extraditing Taylor, including Alameda County in Northern California, Illinois and Des Moines, Iowa, Oswald said.

Taylor is suspected of robbing shoe stores in Des Moines and Denver, as well as jewelry stores in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., West Des Moines and River Grove, Ill., on his cross-country flight since he broke out of Orange County Jail 6 months ago.

Police in Albany, Calif., believe Taylor and another man posed as used-car buyers and kidnaped a woman Jan. 9, raped her and then tried to choke her with a rope. The woman escaped from the car near San Jose and identified Taylor as her assailant after he was the subject of an “America’s Most Wanted “ television show.

In Rapid City, S.D., where he was caught last weekend, Taylor also faces a charge of being a felon in possession of stolen property, Oswald said.

“We would be willing to step aside and let other jurisdictions (including) Orange County, Illinois and perhaps Des Moines extradite him for trials there,” he said.

The Strongest Case

Orange County Deputy Dist. Atty. Burl Estes said he is convinced that Orange County, where Taylor could face life imprisonment if found guilty of several felony charges, has the strongest case against him.

“It’s my understanding that the fugitive complaint filed in South Dakota, which resulted in his apprehension and arraignment, was based on our (Orange County) charges. We want him back first,” Estes said.

Taylor faces charges in three cases in Orange County, including one that involves six jewelry store armed robberies, the jail escape and a third case involving kidnaping with intent to commit robbery the night he escaped from jail, Estes said.

On the robbery case alone, Estes said, Taylor faces at least 60 years in prison because of his prior criminal record, alleged use of a gun and other charges.

“I think that in this situation we have enough potential time stacked up against the guy, so that there is no reason to let another jurisdiction have him. We can, if we find him guilty, probably put him away for his natural life,” Estes said.

During extradition hearings, judges and prosecutors are influenced by the jurisdiction with the greatest case against the defendant and whether that jurisdiction is able to absorb costs involved in the trial, Oswald said.

The judge in the extradition case has set a June 20 hearing in Rapid City.

Estes, who is preparing Orange County’s extradition request, said he may have the documents mailed to Sacramento next week for Governor Georbge Deukmejian’s signature.

The governor’s office is expected to approve the request and mail the documents to the governor of South Dakota. If so, Estes said, authorities there will issue a governor’s warrant ordering Taylor returned.