A Biloxi man was sentenced to life in prison following a murder in 2024 involving a dispute over a game of dominoes.
According to three eyewitnesses during the trial, 60-year-old Julius Taylor Jr. and Jerome Overton, a cousin of next-door neighbor Rodney Dabney, were playing dominoes on Taylor’s front porch.
It was stated that Overton won about $15 from Taylor before he accused Overton of cheating. Then, Taylor allegedly went into his apartment, retrieved a pistol, and threatened to shoot his guest. Dabney stepped between the two men and disarmed Taylor, then pushed him to the ground.
“The Defendant then got up, went back inside his apartment, retrieved a second handgun, came back outside and shot Rodney Dabney in the chest,” prosecuting Assistant District Attorney Ian Baker said.
The witness testimony continued, claiming that Dabney managed to take the second gun from Taylor before succumbing to his injuries and shot Taylor in the abdomen and through the knee.
According to District Attorney W. Crosby Parker, videos from the apartment complex were provided after the testimony, showing various portions of the crime. More evidence was presented against Taylor, strengthening the case before he took the stand in his own defense.
He claimed that Dabney shot first, hitting him three times, before Taylor retrieved the second gun and killed Dabney. Upon cross-examination, Taylor eventually admitted that his story to the jury and the police did not line up before growing agitated and saying, “Yeah, I killed him; he shot me first, so (expletive) him, and y’all just go ahead and find me guilty.”
After over two hours of deliberation, the jury found Taylor guilty of first-degree murder. Circuit Judge Brad Touchstone sentenced Taylor to life in prison and 10 years to run consecutively for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
When he pronounced the sentence, Judge Touchstone stated, “Mr. Taylor, you unnecessarily took the life of a man over a dominoes game; blood was shed for something so silly and minuscule, and you have to be held accountable.”
Due to Taylor’s habitual sentence as a repeat offender, his sentences will be served day-for-day without the possibility of parole or early release because of a domestic violence charge in 2016.
“I want to commend the Biloxi Police Department for their thorough investigation and the witnesses who had the courage to come forward and testify. Human life is precious, and tragically, this Defendant took a life over $15,” District Attorney Crosby Parker stated.
“When he took the stand and attempted to mislead the jury, ADA Ian Baker’s cross-examination exposed his lies and ensured the jury heard the truth. Given the senseless nature of this crime and this Defendant’s criminal history, a life sentence is both appropriate and just.”
